


Bruises and Bitemarks

by orphan_account



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Aftermath of Violence, Age Difference, Alpha Derek Hale, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awesome Sheriff Stilinski, Blow Jobs, Derek Feels, Derek is 23 and Stiles is 18, Derek is a Good Alpha, Derek trains Stiles to be a badass omega, Dubious Consent, Eventual BAMF Stiles, Eventual Smut, Everyone is either a/b/o, Explicit Sexual Content, First Time, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Frottage, Gentle Derek, Hurt Stiles, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Inequality, Jealous Derek, Jealous Stiles, Knotting, M/M, Mating Bites, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mentioned Kate Argent, Multiple Orgasms, No humans, Not Beta Read, Omega Stiles Stilinski, Omega Verse, Original Character(s), Panic Attacks, Past Kate Argent/Derek Hale, Physical Abuse, Pining Stiles Stilinski, Praise Kink, Protective Derek, Protective Sheriff Stilinski, Recovery, Rimming, Romance, Scent Marking, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Defense, Self-Lubrication, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Slow Burn, Stiles Feels, Stiles Has Panic Attacks, Stiles Stilinski Loves Derek Hale, Stiles is Legal, Stiles learns how to fight, Stiles-centric, Top Derek Hale/Bottom Stiles Stilinski, Trainer Derek, Will tag more as I go, omega rights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-21
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 07:01:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 121,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8614222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Biologically, Stiles is weak. When he presented as an omega, he knew that to be the truth but that never stopped him from running his mouth as a defense mechanism. However, it could only save him so many times before he ended up pissing off the wrong person. After he's attacked in the parking lot outside of school, Stiles realizes he can no longer protect himself with just pure wit and sarcasm. When the attack lands him in the hospital, his dad forces him to pick between two options, report the alphas who attacked him or join a kickboxing gym run by omega rights activist and alpha, Derek Hale, a man Stiles has been in love with for many years. *Now includes an extended chapter featuring Nate/Jupiter*





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I apparently love a/b/o story lines way too much so here goes another one! I didn't tag this as graphic description of violence because I don't think I went too far with it but if you disagree, let me know and I'll definitely change it! I'm terrible at tagging accurately so same goes for that!

Stiles screamed as the alpha’s foot connected with his ribs again and again. He was pretty positive he heard something crack inside of him but his entire body was on fire with pain so it didn’t make a difference. He couldn't breathe, couldn't move, just lied there and took it. There was no chance in hell he was going to be able to hold his own in a fight. He had already tried and that had landed him, face down in the asphalt. Maybe had it only been one alpha, he would have stood a chance but they always traveled in packs. Five of them against one, skinny, defenseless omega seemed awfully unfair but they never cared. Stiles had said something stupid as he always did and they decided to teach him a lesson  _ again _ . 

_ That’s what omega’s deserved.  _

“Such a little bitch omega,” one of them sneered at him as a foot collided lower into his gut. Stiles tried and failed to hold back his scream of agony, surprised that he had any air to release after getting most of it kicked out of him. 

He cried into the asphalt digging into his side. Part of him knew he shouldn’t have stayed at the library so late. Being an omega put him at a considerable amount more danger than another beta or alpha his age. Most of the time, people wouldn’t give him a second glance. Omega rights had become more prominent in the past decade but that didn’t mean some alphas didn’t still look at him like he was worthless, like he deserved to be beat into the ground for presenting as he did. Stiles just need to breathe through the awful, agonizing pain for a few more minutes until they got tired of him. They’d leave once they had their fun. He just needed to hold on for a few more minutes. 

“Maybe you’ll keep your mouth shut next time?” another sneered from his side. “Maybe you’ll learn your lesson, huh?” 

_ Doubtful _ , Stiles thought to himself. He didn’t deserve to cower in fear inside his home because there were still assholes who couldn’t handle change. Alphas were so used to be the rulers in society that when the laws passed for omegas to have equal rights as betas and alphas, a small percentage of them resisted. That included some students at his school. 

Some part of him wondered if he deserved it. He could never keep his mouth shut; it was like he asked for it. If he had been stronger like Scott or like Isaac, he wouldn’t have this problem. If he had presented as anything but an omega, he could have stood up for himself a little better. They wouldn’t target him so incessantly. But he was skinny and absolutely defenseless after a few hits so they picked on him and this time, Stiles had just had enough and exploded on them. It was a terrible, terrible move on his part.  

Finally, the kicking ceased and he took a shuddered breath, feeling the tears drip down the side of his face and the metalic taste of blood run through his mouth. He felt all of the boys back away except one. He knew which one it was before he even knelt in front of his face. Tyler Masterson, the epic asshole of assholes. He was captain of the lacrosse team, the one Stiles actually had the audacity to try out for his sophomore year only to be laughed and mocked at by the entire team. Scott quit that same day, not wanting to be part of that shitshow without Stiles. 

Tyler gripped Stiles's chin, jerking the boy’s face up so they met eyes. “Did you learn your lesson?” Stiles blinked, trying to keep more tears from coming. “You gonna learn to keep that mouth of yours shut? Stay inside like a good omega?”

Stiles cringed, finding it awfully hard to take even the smallest of breathes. 

“You’re not going to tell your daddy, are you? You know what will happen if you tell him.” Stiles gasped slightly when Tyler’s grip tightened. He knew exactly what would happen. Despite his dad being an alpha himself and the sheriff, he had very little say in this matter. Stiles had just turned eighteen which meant it was his decision whether or not to report the boys who picked on him. Tyler had more friends than Stiles could count and each of them worshipped the ground he walked on. He couldn’t have his dad arrest all of them. It wasn’t possible. Tyler had threatened him enough times that Stiles knew to keep his mouth shut. He would rather deal with his dad giving him shit than with the consequences of his blabbing mouth. 

When Stiles didn’t answer immediately, Tyler used his other hand to press into Stiles's injured stomach. That caused him to scream and made Tyler smirk. There was no one around to hear his screams in the dark parking lot. It was after school hours so Stiles was alone in this fight. “I didn’t hear an answer.” 

One of his minions stepped forward with a look of concern. “Ty, stop. You proved your point. Just let him go. What if he tells his dad this time?” 

The pressure on his abused stomach released and Stiles almost sobbed with relief. All of this because he had been out late after and they found him waiting for his ride. Maybe if they had just left him alone to wait on the sidewalk alone, he wouldn’t have accused Tyler of having a small dick and started this whole mess. 

“Look at me,” Tyler growled. Stiles's eyes snapped back to his face with anger in them. His body hurt so badly but he wasn’t going to back down. His biology might have made him weak but that didn’t mean he had to. He bit back the snark he wanted to unleash. If he got them started again, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to move ever again. “You aren’t going to say shit, right? Because you know this was your fault. You asked for it. If you could just keep your mouth shut and take it,  _ this  _ wouldn’t happen.” 

Tyler and his friends had never hurt him this badly, that much was true. They usually pushed him around, occasionally slammed him against a locker or two but this was new. They had never taken it so far. However, it was going to be impossible to hide from his dad this time. This was going to take much, much longer to heal and he couldn’t even breathe properly. 

“Answer me, omega!” His eyes shifted to a threatening red. 

“I-I won’t,” Stiles said in a pained voiced, praying Tyler and his gang left him alone.  _ Please _ he left out not wanting to appear weaker than he was.

“You’re missing something, omega.” 

Stiles wanted to disappear into the asphalt. He didn’t want to stoop that low but he didn’t want Tyler to hurt him anymore. He’d heal but it was already beyond bad. He told himself it wasn’t cowardly to submit; right now, it was survival. 

“I won’t,  _ alpha _ ,” he gritted painfully, giving Tyler what he wanted. 

Tyler gave him a tap on the cheek in praise. “Good boy. You know I don’t like hurting you, Stiles. It’s just than when you open that dumb omega mouth of yours, it’s like you’re asking to be slapped around.” 

Stiles held his eyes in defiance. He may be weak and seconds away from absolutely losing it like a baby but he was never going to bow in front of a man like Tyler even when he kicked him to the ground. 

“See you soon, Stilinski. I suggest you ice that stomach of yours. It’s gonna bruise pretty badly before you heal.”  With that the boys left, leaving Stiles alone beside empty cars unable to even move. 

He squeezed his eyes shut and let out a sob which only further hurt his fragile body. Crushed suppressants were ground into the sidewalk next to his face where Tyler had dumped the pills Stiles had paid a hefty sum for onto the pavement. It was only going to take a day or two of missing them for Stiles to be thrown into a heat he had been avoiding since he presented. They didn’t have the money to buy more despite the fact that Stiles couldn’t afford to miss a pill. 

When he presented, he had been terrified. He was fourteen years old and omega rights had just started to take place in Beacon Hills. It was a victory for many but Stiles still didn’t want to be the way he was. He was ashamed of it, scared of the consequences that it still held. His dad worked double shifts down at the station to afford the suppressants Stiles begged for. They helped in all good ways, keeping his heats down to a minimum length, his scent not as a strong and his inability to conceive during a heat (not like he needed that since he was still a virgin). But now, they were going to do nothing and he’d be back at square one. 

It took him a while to move onto his side, suppressing a scream that threatened to escape. He didn’t need to drag unnecessary attention onto himself. It wasn’t like anyone else was in the school parking lot but Stiles didn’t want someone to find him in this position. Somehow, he found his way to his hands and knees, gasping in pain and then trying not to breathe altogether. He needed to get up. His dad was coming for him soon, just as soon as his shift was over. He needed to at least pretend like he wasn’t in an immense amount of pain. 

The journey to his feet was almost too much. He couldn’t straighten at the waist even when he tried. His body felt like it was going to shatter with the smallest of movements and his vision was getting fuzzy and he had a hard time keeping himself standing. 

_ Dad will be here soon. He’s coming.  _

Stiles heard the sound of a car engine coming toward him but the pain had begun to drag him under. He stumbled and swayed slightly before he collided with the asphalt again which only furthered the pain. The scream he had been holding in escaped his mouth and sounded agonizing in his own ears. 

There was a screeching sound that he could only correlate with the brakes of a car being slammed followed by his name being screamed by his dad but he was already too far gone into the darkness of pain to respond.

 

* * *

 

Waking up in a hospital wasn’t a new thing. For one, he was a pretty reckless child and then his mom got diagnosed and they were in and out those front doors more than anyone could imagine. This time though, Stiles woke up feeling drugged which he was pretty sure was because he was actually drugged. His eyes flickered over to his IV drip and then to his dad who was lounged out uncomfortably on one of the hospital chairs. The scene made his heart ache, remembering all those nights where they’d both curl up in one of the chairs and watch Claudia sleep. No kind of supernatural healing could cure cancer.

He instantly felt guilty for doing this to his dad again. They didn't have money for a hospital bill right now. Not when they were behind on the house payment and could barely afford anything other than fast food which was so bad for his dad. He didn’t even want to mention the entire pack of suppressants he lost in the attack. 

Stiles went to shift momentarily forgetting about his injuries. A sharp gasp escaped his lips at the tinge of pain, not as bad as he expected, because, well, drugs. He was suddenly very thankful for modern day medicine and the wonderful thing that was painkillers because despite what Tyler said, he needed a whole lot more than an ice pack. Supernatural healing only went so fast and with an attack such as this one, Stiles was aware of how long it might take to fully heal. 

The sound of his pain caused his dad to jolt awake, sitting up in alarm. His eyes were an alpha red and normally it wouldn’t scare Stiles but he found himself unintentionally shrinking away. It took his dad a second to blink away the intensity before he noticed Stiles blinking back at him. His alert expression changed in a quick hurry, wide eyed with relief and so many other motions. 

Stiles opened his mouth to speak, try to explain himself to his dad but before he could say anything, he was on him, pulling him into a hug. A small gasp bellowed out of him again and caused his dad to pull back apologetically. Instead, he held Stiles, one hand on his shoulder and other on his neck. 

“I’m okay,” Stiles croaked, hating the silence between them. 

“You are not fine, Stiles,” his dad didn’t sound angry but his voice caught at the end and that was a million times worse than his dad yelling. At least he wasn’t using his alpha voice on him. Stiles had to swallow the lump in his throat. He had always been stronger for the two of them especially after his mom died. There was no point in crumbling now.  “They could have killed you, Stiles. You have three broken ribs, one that was dangerously close to piercing your lung and multiple contusions. What if they hadn’t stopped? Why didn’t you ever tell me about this?” 

“I don’t know,” Stiles whispered, turning his head away. He wanted to be stronger than that, stronger than having to run to his sheriff dad for all his problems. 

“What made them do  _ this _ ?” 

Stiles sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to get out of talking about it. “I was waiting for you and they saw me. They always mess with me for no reason, ‘cause I’m an omega, easy target and all.” 

“I’m well aware,” his dad grumbled. Stiles grimaced remembering how many times he had come home from school with a black eye or a bruised cheek and tried to blame it on something else but it never worked. He was sure his dad noticed but he never said anything about it. 

“I said something stupid, like I always do. It was my fault.”  _ My fault for being a weak omega. _

“Don’t,” he growled, “you ever say this was your fault. I don’t care about whatever you said to them. This is assault, Stiles. The other times I was fine ignoring it because I thought it was just dumb boys being boys but not this.” 

“Dad.” 

“Stiles, this isn’t something you can ignore. If they were willing to go this far without being worried about consequences that who’s to say they won’t go further next time. Who’s to say they won’t leave you dead on the ground next time? What? Just because you presented the way you did?” he was fuming, shaking with anger and Stiles wanted to cry. “Omegas have rights, Stiles. I know some people still don’t agree with them but that is no excuse to physically assault someone.” 

He couldn’t find anything to say. Anything that came out of his mouth was just going to piss his dad off like everything else he ever said to anyone. If he said he wasn’t going to report them again, he’d be beyond angry. But he wasn’t going to report them because what good would that do for him? 

Once his dad calmed down, he sat back down in the chair, placing his face into his hands. 

“You should call Scott when you get a chance,” he said quietly. “He was a mess when he found out what happened to you. He should have been there with you. Melissa said she’s never seen him like that before.” 

Stiles nodded even though he wanted to tell his dad he didn’t need his alpha best friend’s protective all day but that was visibly false. He couldn’t imagine what must have been going through his best friend’s mind when Melissa told him that he was in the hospital. He was sure he looked like a mess. 

A nurse walked in a few minutes later, a nice beta that put Stiles at ease. She talked to Stiles about his injuries and asked him if he was on any medication. As much as he didn’t want to mention the crushed suppressants he left behind, he needed to let her know. She gave him a kind smile and told him not to worry about it. They’d give him a small pack until he could afford another one and Stiles had never been more thankful in his life. He couldn’t afford a full on heat in this condition. 

She checked on his injuries, being as gentle as possible with him and then offered him another pill along with some water. 

“It’s a strong painkiller,” she explained as Stiles swallowed. “You’re going to be in and out for a while but that’s okay.” 

Stiles thanked her and she left the two Stilinski’s in the room. 

“I’ll be here when you wake up, okay? I took some work off and we’ll deal with this together. Just get some sleep and heal. ” 

Stiles blinked heavily. “D-don’t report them, Dad. P-please.” 

He heard his dad sigh quietly. “We’ll talk when you get up. Sleep now, kiddo.” 

He slowly accepted the drug-induced sleep again, thankful to be aware from the physical and mental pain. At least in his sleep, nothing could hurt him. At least in his dreams, he could be strong.

 

* * *

 

The nurse had been correct when she told Stiles he’d be in and out of sleep. It wasn’t like he was complaining because it was honestly the best sleep he had gotten in his life and every time he woke, he felt better and better. He woke up to Scott by his side at one point, barely getting a few unintelligible words out before he was sucked back under. He remembered the alpha holding his hand and whispering that it would be okay before he slept again. Melissa was there at another point as well, check up on him. He was more aware with her, able to coherently listen to what she was saying. His wounds were healing, ribs slowly mending back together and all his lacerations and contusions were healed as well. 

Stiles stayed awake for the most part afterwards, feeling a tad bit stronger. His dad had gone to get food for them or so Melissa told him. He hoped he didn’t go to the station to report the alphas but then he remembered his dad didn’t know who hurt him. It relieved him if only slightly. 

His dad came back while Stiles was attempting to get back into bed after using the restroom. He was glad nobody was there to witness him trying to get out. His stomach was still tender but it was easier to straighten his upper half. It took him a little longer to fully straighten but once he did, he felt accomplished. His dad stared at him with a bag of greasy cheeseburgers and fries. Stiles rolled his eyes as his dad gave him a sheepish grin. 

“Dad, what did I say about red meat and grease?” 

“It hardly counts. Who even knows if it’s real meat.”

Stiles audibly groaned, running his hand through his hair. He managed to get back into the bed and readjust himself as his dad handed him the burger. It was comfort food so he wasn’t about to deny it. 

“We gotta talk,” the sheriff said after sitting down with his burger. 

“I know,” Stiles muttered, eying the burger and suddenly feeling less hungry. 

“The hospital won’t force you to press charges despite what happened. It’s some omega rights law put in place for your protection.” 

Stiles couldn’t help but ask what he had been wondering since he had woken up. “Are you going to force me?” He was technically a legal adult at eighteen years old but as his alpha, the sheriff still had some say over Stiles's protection. He’d never use it against Stiles but this was a different circumstance. Stiles could have died if Tyler hadn’t stopped. 

The alpha sighed and ran his hand over his face in exhaustion. Stiles couldn’t stop feeling guilty for everything he had put him through already. He couldn’t stop thinking about the hospital bills that were going to stack up on top their overdue house payments. They pitied them a little after they lost his mom but that pity was pretty far gone now. 

“I’m not going to force you to do anything, son. You’re an adult and that means you are capable of making your own decisions. I can’t report them for you and I know you’re not going to do it so I’ve come up with an alternative.” 

Stiles quirked an eyebrow in interest. He couldn’t imagine what an alternative would be. 

“If you’re unwilling to report them, I want you to be physically able to defend yourself next time. It’s self defense if they attack first and as long as you can hold your own in a fight, you’re safer than you are now.” 

Stiles worried at his lip wondering where he was going with this. 

“I made a call while you were in and out of sleep. You remember Derek Hale, right? Talia’s son?” 

Stiles's heart skipped a dramatic beat at the name. Derek Hale, son of Talia Hale, who, along with the rest of his family, was lost in a terrible house fire years prior. He remembered their families used to visit each other when Stiles was just a pup. Derek presented as an alpha but he was also a strong supporter of omega rights and Stiles was in love with him. Not just some childish crush that went away. Stiles was seriously in love with Derek since he first met him. His scent had always made him feel safe which was unusual for an alpha but he had disappeared from Stiles's life a couple years ago and it killed Stiles. 

Stiles numbly nodded. 

“Well, he’s opened a gym just outside of Beacon Hills.” Derek was back? “I gave him a call and he does private training.” Stiles gaped at his dad. He was seriously going in that direction with this conversation. “What I’m saying is that he does some self defense classes for omega in his free time. He said he’d be more than willing to put some time aside to help us out.” 

Stiles immediately shook his head. He couldn’t do that, not with Derek. As if he wasn’t already humiliated enough not being able to defend himself in the first place but seeing Derek again, because of this? There was no way he’d be okay with it. 

“This isn’t something I’m giving you a choice about, kid. You either report whoever attacked you or you do this with Derek. It’s one or the other.” 

“Dad,” Stiles tried pathetically.

“Stiles, I will not argue about this. I want you to be safe. I want you to be able to protect yourself against these assholes.” 

“What about the money?” he croaked quietly. 

“He’s willing to do it for free, said it was his way of paying us back for everything we did for him when his family died. You just gotta go a few times a week for a couple of hours. It’s not that big of a deal.” 

Stiles gulped. It was a big deal. It was bigger than a big deal because he hadn’t seen Derek in years and he could only imagine how good he looked and how shitty Stiles himself looked. Derek would never find a weak omega beautiful. 

“Please, Stiles,” his dad begged and Stiles could see the sadness in his eyes. “Please do this for your old man.” 

Stiles hated it. He hated that he was forced to do this, that he couldn’t just be naturally strong or have presented as a beta but he was who he was and he needed to protect himself against people like Tyler

So he said yes. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are awesome and all your support has made me so happy so here's another chapter! I hope you guys like it. There some self-loathing and angst which is going to be a reoccurring theme for a few chapter while Stiles recovers mentally from his attack. The happy news is, Derek is introduced in this chapter!:)

It took Stiles another day to fully heal at the hospital. They kept him for observations over night, just in case part of him didn’t heal properly. A cop from his dad’s station came down to get his statement but there was nothing for Stiles to say and they couldn’t force him to report it. He could tell it disappointed his dad but he had already agreed to take the self defense class. His dad could only have one or the other; Stiles wasn’t going to cave on both.

The idea of seeing Derek for the first time in four years was making Stiles's head hurt. It was all he could think about once they released him from the hospital on Saturday afternoon. Derek had left just after Stiles had presented, on his fourteenth birthday nonetheless. It hurt a whole lot more than it should have. Derek had been pulling away as he got older. The more time he spent in Beacon Hills, the more cynical he became. Stiles knew he was still hurting even years after the fire. It had been eight years since his mom died and it still felt like this gaping hole in his heart that was never going to heal.

Stiles had just been a pup when the Stilinski’s met the Hale’s. Derek was five years older but that never stopped Stiles from chasing after him when their parents visited each other. It started off as a simple want to be friends. Stiles always looked up to Derek, thought he smelled kind and gentle. He liked it when Derek would give him piggyback rides across the grass while he giggled and shrieked. Everyone knew Derek would present as an alpha, that was just a commonly known fact so when he did, Stiles wasn’t the least bit surprised. It fit him but that wasn’t why Stiles began to like him, it was something on an entirely different plane.

His crush started off small, just quick glances, blushing when he was around but it shifted at some unknown point and Stiles found himself thinking about Derek more often than not, staring at him for longer amounts of time, being drawn to his scent. He was just a kid and Derek was older and more mature. He was clearly unattainable but it didn’t keep Stiles from imagining, wishing he could be Derek’s and Derek could be his own.

But then there was the fire. It came just after Stiles's mom died so both of them were suffering in their own way. While Stiles tried to get closer for the comfort he found in the alpha, Derek pulled away. It was understandable but at the time, it tore Stiles's little heart out of his chest and stomped on it. All he wanted was for Derek to hold him like he used to when he woke up from nightmares or when he was scared of the storms but that was gone. Stiles was sure part of Derek died in that fire just like part of him died with his mom.

Their friendship only drifted further after that. Stiles and his dad were dealing with their own tragedy and eventually, it was too much, too hard of a struggle, for Stiles to keep trying with Derek. Sometimes, after a couple of years, Derek would come over for dinner or come to visit but it wasn’t ever the same. It wasn’t until his fourteenth birthday, just a few days after he presented that Stiles realized Derek no longer cared about him. Despite how much love Stiles felt for him, that dumb unwavering love, Derek still left him without so much as a goodbye. He found of from his dad one night and he spent the rest of that night crying in his bedroom.

His fourteenth year of life was the second worst year of his life, first, of course, being his tenth. He had presented as something he didn’t want to be, the boy he loved left him behind, the alpha’s at school still acted like omega rights weren’t a thing and he got his first heat.

His first heat was manageable. It hurt and it was uncomfortable but it wasn’t like he was going to die from it. It took two days of jacking off semi often and a whole lot of sleep to get through it but then it was over. He, shamefully, thought of Derek the entire time. Not even in a sexual way, just being there to touch him, to hold him and give him words of praise. He regretted it after he was pulled out of the weird heat haze because it only made him miss Derek more.

Every omega was different though. Some of them needed an alpha to get through their heats, others, like Stiles, could get through it without one. He had heard horror stories of before omega rights were put into place, when alphas would find omegas in the throes of their heat, unable to think of anything other than being knotted and end up taking advantage of them. Of course that kind of behavior was outlawed now but the idea terrified Stiles when his heat symptoms hit. He never wanted to have a heat where he was begging to be taken. He never wanted to have another heat, period. Which was another reason he had been put on suppressants, as unrecommended as they were at his age, they worked.

Unfortunately for him, he didn’t find any sympathy from Scott on the Derek topic. Scott thought it was a good idea for Stiles to take a self defense class. Being an alpha, Scott had always been strong enough to protect himself and it had always bothered Stiles. But his friend had sat by his bedside after the attack while he was passed out on drugs and worried over him so it was the least he could do for the people who cared about him.

“It’s just going to be weird,” Stiles complained to Scott who sat across from him on one of Stiles's chairs. “I haven’t seen him in four years and we weren’t exactly on great terms when he left.”

“He lost his entire family, Stiles,” Scott commented. “Give him a break.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “I know that, Scott. I’m not blaming him for leaving. For whatever reason he left, it was probably the best move for him. I’m just saying, I was in love with him,” _still am_ , he left out, “and he left so it’s probably going to be the most uncomfortable reunion I’ve ever experienced and that includes that Stilinski reunion I was forced to go to two years ago.” He visibly shuddered at the memory. Let’s just say his family wasn’t was progressive was his dad and his friends.

“Maybe it will be good for you to see him again.”

Stiles made a noise of disagreement.

His omega was thrilled at the thought of seeing Derek again. People said that your wolf always knows how it’s going to present even if you don’t. Stiles was convinced his wolf knew from the second he met Derek that they were supposed to be mates. He knew deep down that he’d present as an omega, he even wished for it at one point so he could be with Derek but now, he hated it. Now it didn’t even matter.

“Just give it a chance, dude,” Scott encouraged. “There’s no shame in taking a self defense class.”

Stiles nodded even though he didn’t fully agree.

“When are you going?”

“T-tomorrow,” he muttered back, staring up at the ceiling. “His gym is technically closed but he agreed to meet with us. My dad wants me to start as soon as I can and since I’m pretty much healed up, tomorrow is the date. He’s pretty scared they’re going to try something again on Monday.”

Scott made an angry noise that could have passed as a growl and Stiles sat up on the bed to look at him. His claws were pressing bluntly into the armrests of the chair.

“I should have been there,” Scott whispered, avoiding Stiles's eyes. “I should have stayed with you after school or done something the first time they messed around with you at school.” Stiles could see the pained expression Scott was trying so hard to hide and it hurt his heart.

“Scotty,” Stiles started quietly.

“I should have said something to your dad when they first started bullying you. I’m so sorry, Stiles.”

Stiles bit back the comment he wanted to say and instead said something nicer. “It’s not your fault, dude. You couldn’t have known they were going to do something so serious. They’re just dumb alphas, no offense.”

That made Scott smile just a little. “You know I’d never hurt you right?”

Stiles gave him a questioning look, not understanding why he asked.

“It’s just when you were asleep at the hospital, you were dreaming, I guess but-”

“But what, Scott?”

“When I tried to comfort you, you...flinched.”

Stiles remembered having some bad dreams while he was drugged but he didn’t remember flinching away from Scott, his best friend, who would rather die than hurt Stiles in that way.

“I’m not scared of you, Scotty. It was just a reflex. I might have smelled you or my wolf sensed you. It’s not you, okay? I’ve never been scared of you or my dad and you’re both alphas.”

Scott nodded like he understood but he still looked like a kicked puppy.

“Really dude, I promise. I was probably just in protection mode or something and reacted to your alpha scent. You believe me right?”

It took him a second but once he looked up, he gave Stiles a reassuring smile and then nodded again. “Let me know how the training goes, okay?” Without another word or a glance in his direction, Scott got up and exited the room leaving Stiles confused and saddened by his friend’s departure.

 

* * *

 

Stiles had convinced his dad to let him stay in the car for five minutes after they had parked in front of Derek’s kickboxing gym ironically named _Alpha, Beta, Omega._ He was too close to a full on panic attack to get out of the car when they arrived but his heart had slowed down. He still wasn’t sure he’d be able to go in but his dad was getting impatient.

“Stiles, come on kid. Derek is here on his day off so he can meet with us. The least we can do is actually be somewhat on time.”

Stiles gulped loudly. He could do this. The whole point of this was to prove he could be strong and that meant mentally too. Derek couldn’t have been hotter than he was at nineteen when he left. Stiles could do this, he was an omega but he wasn’t a bitch.

“Let’s go!” It was an attempt at confidence but he failed miserably the second his voice cracked.

His dad smirked at him. “It’s going to be okay, kiddo.”

They exited the car and walked up toward the door to the gym. Their car was the only one in the small lot aside from the one that belonged to Derek, a sleek black Camaro. It was clear the place was closed but the door was open just for them. Stiles's dad gestured for him to go inside and as much as he wanted to turn around and run back to the car, he stepped inside.

The cool air and smell of sweat among other things hit him right in the face. While those were strong scents themselves, there was another scent in the room that Stiles instantly latched onto like he used to. It was warmth and cinnamon and pine-needle. It was alpha and strength and safety all in one and it made Stiles's knees grow weak like some love struck omega idiot.

And there he was, Derek Hale, in the flesh. He stood right in front of Stiles's vision, back turned, muscles flexing as he repeatedly hit a punching bag on the other side of the room. The door slammed behind them thanks to the sheriff and Stiles silently cursed him as Derek turned toward them.

He had been so wrong. It was possible for the alpha to have gotten hotter than he was at nineteen. Twenty-three was very, very nice to Derek. The alpha smiled at them once he turned and shook off the padded gloves that were strapped around his wrists.

“Derek,” Stiles's dad greeted as the gorgeous man approached them. He held out his hand toward Derek who took it and shook it back.

“John,” he replied. Stiles tended to forget his dad actually had a name other than sheriff and dad but there it was. “It’s good to see you again. It’s been a while.”

“That it has, son. Good to see you.”

Stiles was standing like a fucking statue when Derek turned to him. He was overwhelmed by everything all at once. Derek’s face, his eyes, his scent, every single thing. All his memories of Derek came flooding back and so did the bitterness.

“Hi Stiles,” he said gently. It took Stiles a second to understand why he was being so gentle, not moving any closer or extending a hand toward him. His dad must have told him what happened, of course he told him what happened. Derek was trying to be considerate in case Stiles reacted poorly. But he could tell, just from his scent, he meant no harm.

“Hi Der,” the nickname slipped out of his mouth without much thought and the second it did, Stiles’s cheeks heated up in embarrassment. Luckily for him, Derek didn’t seem to mind. It actually made him smile.

“Thanks for doing this, Derek,” Stiles’s dad broke the awkward silence between the two. “It really means a lot to me, to both of us.”

Derek’s attention slipped away from Stiles and back to his dad. “Of course. I’m sorry you both had to go through that. I just want to help.”

The bitterness was back again and Stiles had to bite his tongue before he said something like, _If you ever wanted to help, you would have stayed._

“Just so you know, I run an omega self defense group class weekly as well as private lessons. It might be a good group to think about for Stiles. Some of them have been,” Derek paused looking mildly uncomfortable for a split second, “attacked or assaulted in some way while others just want to better themselves. It’s a good support group as well.”

“No,” Stiles said before he could stop himself and it seemed to shock his dad and Derek. “I don’t need a support group. I just want to learn how to fight.”

Derek swallowed. “No worries, just a thought.”

Stiles immediately felt guilty.

Some uncomfortable silence followed before Derek cleared his throat. “Are you healed?”

Stiles nodded, keeping his eyes on the floor. He knew Derek wasn’t a threat but he really didn’t want to make eye contact. It wasn’t submission, it was cowardliness.

“Do you want to start today? We can just go over some basics since we’re already here.” Stiles was blown away by how natural Derek was acting. They hadn't seen each other in four years and Derek was just getting down to business like it was no big deal. It kind of hurt Stiles's feelings. He wasn't expecting some epic reunion but he was kind of expecting a  _how are you?_ or a  _what have you been up to for four years since I left?_ None of those questions came out of his mouth. 

Stiles just wanted to bury himself in Derek’s neck and breathe in his scent. He wanted to throw his arms around the alpha and just have him hold him for a few minutes to remember what it felt like to feel his skin on his own. He missed it so much and it hurt.

“I think that would be a good idea,” Stiles’s dad answered, checking in with Stiles who nodded as well. “I’ll leave you two to it.”

Stiles shifted uncomfortably not wanting his dad to leave. He didn't want to be alone with Derek, at least not right now. It had zero to do with fear and everything to do with his inability to control himself. He was either going to scream at him or kiss him and neither option sounded good.

“Can he stay?” Stiles asked in a hurry, biting his lip afterwards. His eyes shot up to Derek, wondering if he'd say no. Instead, he saw the expression of a hurt man, much like Scott's in his bedroom the other day and he mentally punched himself. Derek was only trying to be nice and accommodating, it was his dad who had suggested leaving.

“Yeah, of course he can stay,” Derek responded after a moment of recovery. His face no longer showed any hurt. “Whatever makes you feel comfortable.”

Stiles wanted to tell him that he wasn't necessarily _uncomfortable_ at least not in the way Derek was assuming but he had already dug his hole deep and there was no escaping it. He just nodded thankfully as his dad gave him a strange look but didn’t make a move to leave.

“You can just sit over on one of the benches, John,” Derek offered softly. The sheriff retreated to the bench Derek gestured to and sat.

Derek’s attention was back on Stiles. “If you want to just step over here.”

Stiles listened and stepped closer to Derek, placing himself on the mat in the middle of the floor. It squished under his feet comfortably. He looked to Derek for further instruction. The older man still kept his distance which Stiles was equally as thankful and annoyed with.

“We’re going to start with some basic techniques, okay?”

“Sure.”

“Okay, let’s start with some blocking. You’re going to want to keep yourself balanced on your feet, like this,” Derek demonstrated with his feet, keeping each firmly planted on the mat. His left leg was slightly further up than his right pivoting his body. He tapped his thigh to show Stiles. “Just mimic what I do.”

Stiles rearranged his legs to match Derek’s and then waited.

“You’re going to want to keep one fist up in front of your chest and another just below your chin.” He moved his arms accordingly. “The one in front of your chest will be doing the blocking. Most of the techniques are going to be done by your dominate hand as well.”

Stiles nodded. He was trying to listen but his wolf was only interested in Derek, not any of the words he was speaking. His body followed suit despite his lack of listening and mirrored Derek again.

“Alright from here, you’re going to angle your arm kind of like a checkmark between your arm and your shoulder.” Stiles laughed at that and received another smile from Derek which made Stiles’s heart skip. “To block from your left side, you’re going to move your arm across your body in an upward fashion.” Stiles watched as Derek did it a few times. “For your right side, you’ll lift your arm straight up keeping that bent posture.”

Stiles wasn’t sure how someone could look so beautiful doing blocking motions but somehow Derek accomplished just that.

“Wanna try?”

Stiles nodded and began with his left side, feeling strange to not actually be blocking anything while he did the motions. He was pretty positive he wasn’t doing the motions correctly when he looked up and found Derek staring at him quizzically. His skin heated up at the stare and he dropped his arms in disappointment.

Derek caught on to his displeasement and changed his facial expression in a hurry. “It’s okay, you were doing well. It’s just,” he stopped, “can I approach you?”

Stiles’s omega preened with happiness at the respect he received from the alpha. Derek was an omega rights activist so it made sense.

“Yeah, it’s okay,” Stiles finally spoke. He didn’t mind it. If anything, he welcomed the closeness. He could smell Derek more when he was closer.

Derek approach Stiles slowly as to not rush toward him. He stopped in front of him, just a few inches away, within reaching distance. “Do the position for me again please.”

Stiles did, although he didn’t want to. Derek looked at him for a little bit and then nodded to himself.

“Do you mind if I touch you?” That sentence should not have send chills down Stiles’s back but it did and it was the best feeling he had ever experienced. He was pretty positive Derek could smell the scent radiating off of him but he couldn’t stop it. “Stiles?”

“Y-yeah? Oh, yeah, you’re good!” he squeaked. “Go to town.”

Holy mother of God, he wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it.

Derek huffed softly before reaching up to Stiles’s arms and moving them gently. “Uh, close your eyes and just feel the movement, okay?”

Stiles hesitated but followed Derek’s instructed, shutting his eyes. With his vision cut off, he could feel the alpha’s touch more intensely. He wanted to moan and lean in or touch Derek back. It had been four long years since he had last felt Derek’s touch and it was too much and not enough at the same time.

Derek moved his body, mainly just his arms, in the motion he wanted, leaving Stiles to go along with it. His hand trailed up and down Stiles’s arm at more than one point, regripping, repositioning and helping. Stiles wasn’t even paying attention to the movement, only the touch. Part of him remembered his dad was in the room but the other part of him, the omega part, didn’t give a shit. Derek was touching him. An alpha was touching him opposed to kicking him.

He was acting like a typical omega, the ones that made alphas think they could take whatever they wanted. His body was going pliant in Derek’s arms, attempting to submit and Stiles hated himself for it. That was what Tyler wanted him to do, be a submissive little bitch. Stiles didn’t want that. He wanted to be strong, independent, not tilting his neck for the alpha standing in front of him even if it was Derek Hale.

With that thought, Stiles ripped himself away from Derek, stumbling back a little. His dad stood up, concerned about the sudden commotion. Derek stepped back as well, looking sickened. Stiles scented the air and found anger.

“I’m sorry,” he rushed to say, feeling guilty for making Derek wrong. This was a bad idea. Derek was never going to be able to help him. He was a lost cause. Nothing was going to change the fact that he was an omega and had instincts that told him to submit.

Derek shook his head, running his hand through his hair. “My fault. I shouldn’t have touched you for so long. You’re still sensitive after the attack. I get it. I’m sorry, Stiles.”

Stiles opened his mouth to correct Derek but he couldn’t find the words.

They continued for another hour and Derek never touched him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously their meeting wasn't rainbows and butterflies. Stiles has a lot to work through before he can accept himself but Derek is going to be a key player in that acceptance. 
> 
> Thank you guys again for all the comments and kudos! You're all lovely people. I'm currently planning/outlining the chapters for this fic so if you have any requests or something you'd like to see at some point, drop it down in the comments, I'd love to hear them!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somehow I managed to write another chapter so here ya go ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

They didn’t talk about what happened at Derek’s after they were done with the first session. Stiles figured his dad truly thought he had been scared of the alpha’s touch, not just reacting like a freak. Maybe in another situation, he might have been genuinely scared had it been an alpha like Tyler but this was Derek. His outburst caused him to feel incredibly culpable about the entire situation. He shouldn’t have reacted the way he had, especially after Derek had been so soft and gentle with him. It wasn’t his fault Stiles’s wolf was a submissive little thing. He was an omega so submission usually hand in hand with that.

  
Deep down, he knew there was nothing wrong with that. It was just who he was and most people weren’t going to hold it against him but then there were people like Tyler who would. And that was exactly what made him fear those parts of being an omega. He could take the teasing, and deal with the constant need for suppressants but being submissive, truly submissive to an alpha had never been in his plans. Not even for someone like Derek. He wanted to be independent, able to survive on his own without a constant need to be protected or otherwise taken care of by an alpha. That was the main reason omega rights had been put into place, to give all the omega in the world an equal chance at everything.

  
His dad was in the kitchen when Stiles finally emerged from his room for dinner. Avoiding him seemed plausible until his stomach began to growl in anger, then there was no chance of avoiding him. Stiles needed to eat.

  
“Hey, kiddo.”

  
Stiles grabbed a bowl and poured some cereal and milk into it before grabbing a spoon and slumping into the seat across from his dad. He waved and scooped some cereal into his mouth to avoid speaking.

  
“Stiles?”

  
Stiles’s heart crashed into his ribs rhythmically. He kept his eyes low, focusing on the marshmallow pieces swirling around in his bowl of cereal. He didn't want to talk about it. Not when he already felt like shit for hurting Derek's feelings.

  
“Son?”

  
“Yeah?” Stiles quaked slightly.

  
“It’s okay, you know?” The tension in his body was eased at his dad’s words. “It’s okay; nobody is mad at you. It’s understandable and Derek knows that. He’s not going to touch you if you don’t feel comfortable with it.”

  
Stiles let out a groan. He needed to tell his dad the truth. “It wasn’t that, Dad. I wasn’t scared of him.” If either of them had been paying half attention to the scent in the air just minutes before Stiles went into self-loathing mode, they would have known it wasn’t that at all. His dad didn't know he was still in love with Derek Hale. He had known before because Stiles had cried himself to sleep when Derek left. But what kind of person still loved someone who had abandoned them four years prior and then showed back up and offered to help out like nothing had changed? Only someone like Stiles Stilinski.

   
“What are you talking about, Stiles?”

  
“I-I'm not scared of him. I'm scared of what he was making me do,” Stiles muttered, realizing it was all coming out entirely wrong when his dad gave him a look of concern. It sounded like Derek was forcing him into something.

  
“What is he making you do?”

  
“You won't understand, you're an alpha.”  
The sheriff rolled his eyes. “You know for a fact I've dealt with omegas before, Stiles. Your mother was one and I tried to be as understanding as possible and I'll do the same with you. You can talk to me, about anything, even omega stuff.”

  
“Did Mom ever talk to you about how she felt?”

  
“How so?”

  
“How she felt toward you? We have these instincts, I guess, like alphas and betas do but ours make us submissive, right? That's the whole point? Alphas are drawn to omegas and vise versa?”

  
“Stiles, that's just how they used to think years ago. We've progressed from that. Omegas have a right to their own body. They don't have to be forced to follow those instincts to submit anymore. Omega rights have changed that. I know that some of the alphas at school might make you think you have to but that's not true.”

  
Stiles shook his head. “I know that but it's still there and sometimes it finds its way to the surface and I hate it. I never wanted to be an omega. Mom was strong but I'm not. I'm scared of being like those omegas we read in textbooks.” Those omegas were slaves to alphas and betas, nothing more than breeders and playthings.

  
His dad sighed heavily, a look of hurt in his eyes. “You're never going to be that way, son. Times are different and some people just need time to adjust. Derek isn't going to force you to submit to him. He's not like that. I know it's been a few years since you've seen him and you've both been through a lot but he's a good man, Stiles. He believes in omega rights and he'd never try to take that from you.”

  
“But what if my wolf wants it and I don't? Yesterday, when he touched me, all I wanted to do was submit to him, Dad. What's wrong with me? I'm putting omegas back like an entire decade,” he laughed almost hysterically. “I don't want to be this way. I just want to be strong for once!”

  
Stiles didn't realize there were tears in his eyes until his dad was in front of him, cupping his cheek with one hand to force his eyes upward. “You are strong, Stiles and absolutely nothing is wrong with you for having those desires.”

  
Stiles made a whimpering noise.

  
“I know you want to be physically strong but it's not going to happen overnight. You're going to have to try a little harder than betas and alphas and that's alright. There's no shame in having to practice. And if you don't want to submit to an alpha, then don't. Your wolf is part of you but he does not dictate what you do. That's all you, kiddo. You are as strong as your mother and just as brave, you know that?”

  
Stiles smiled as a tear slid down his cheek. “I want to go back, Dad, to Derek's.”

  
“Of course, Stiles. Nobody is going to stop you but I do think it's a good idea for you to join that group he mentioned, just to meet some people in your own shoes.”

  
Omegas, he meant. Stiles didn't have any omega friends. Scott, Lydia and Malia were all alphas and Isaac was a beta. Isaac was the closest one he could relate to and even then, it was a stretch.

  
“Can I still do the private lessons?”

  
“That's up to Derek. He thinks he pushed you too far. Go down and talk to him tomorrow after school, hmm? Explain what happened.”

  
Stiles blushed at the thought of explaining his desire to submit to Derek was what ruined their last session. But he knew he needed to explain himself. Derek deserved to know.

 

* * *

  
Going back to school was like a dream. Stiles felt like he was floating the second he stepped through the doors. It felt like when he and Scott tried weed brownies during their sophomore year and were stoned for at least twenty four hours. It was a miracle his dad didn't have them arrested the second his smelled it.

  
Scott was by his side the entire time, from when he picked him up at his house to the door of his first period class.

Thankfully, neither Tyler nor his buddies were in this class. Stiles could have some time to breathe. Scott's mood had been off, correlating with his mood when he had left Stiles’s house on Saturday. He was still blaming himself for not being there. Stiles didn't know how to comfort him. Even if he told him it wasn't his fault, Scott still believed it was.

  
“You gonna be okay?” he asked before Stiles entered his English class.

  
Stiles couldn't stop the smirk that spread across his lips. “I'm just going to English, Scott, not starting kindergarten.”

  
“Oh shut up,” Scott scoffed jokingly. “I just want to make sure you'll be okay.”

  
“I will, alpha,” he responded, trying to make a joke but it ended up leaving a bad flavor in his mouth.

  
“I'll meet you right here after class, okay?” Stiles appreciated his friend’s sincerity but it was also annoying him. He didn't need protection from a bully. If Tyler was going to mess with him, he'd find a way.

  
“Right. I meant to ask in the car, can you give me a ride to Derek's gym after school? I need to talk to him.”

  
Scott wagged his eyebrows in a suggestive way. “Oh, Derek's?”

  
“Shut up, Scott.” He retreated into his English class giving Scott no time to make another face.

  
The thing about small towns was everybody knew everyone else's shit no matter how quiet you tried to keep it. Stiles was ignorant to think nobody was going to hear about how he got the crap kicked out of him over the weekend. However, for some reason, nobody knew how it was that did the kicking. There were too many rumors to count, a group of betas (incorrect), a group of omegas (rude), a stranger (plausible) or a group of alphas (ding ding!)

  
It was no shock that nobody knew who the perpetrators were. If Stiles didn't report them, they stayed a mystery to everyone who didn't know Stiles personally. Tyler and his gang weren't about to come out and announce they were the ones who attacked Stiles. That would get them arrested faster than they could blink. Stiles wondered if it was better this way, for people to stare at him but not know any of the answers. For once, they didn't know all the details and it was nice.

  
His teachers were all especially nice to him as well which was new and suspicious. Harris even kept his snarky comments to himself for one and let Stiles zone out during class.

  
Scott was waiting for him after every class as he promised, sometimes with Malia and Lydia, sometimes with Isaac but he was always there. Stiles made it through the day without any issues or Tyler sighting but fate was cruel and didn't want to let him off that easily.

  
The final bell had just rung and Stiles had excused himself from Scott’s body guarding to use the restroom. He didn’t need Scott hovering over him at the urinal too. He told him he’d be fine, famous last words. The second he stepped into the bathroom, he knew something was off. Other than the disgusting scent of urine and sweat, Stiles smelled his scent. He knew it well enough from all the times he slammed him against a locker when nobody was looking or punched in the abdomen when Scott wasn’t around to ward them off. He was an easy target without Scott and he loathed that.

  
Instead of rushing out of the bathroom, he stood tall as the bathroom stall opened and Tyler walked out. He didn’t notice Stiles for a moment while he finished washing his hands but when he did, he scent changed into something hostile. Stiles attempted to keep his breathing even. He couldn’t show fear around Tyler, the alpha fed on it.

  
“Stilinski,” he remarked with a devious smile.

  
Stiles wanted to run, remember the impact of Tyler’s foot but he stood his ground. This was his chance to prove that he could be strong. It was his moment to prove himself to the alpha who tormented him. Derek had only taught him blocking and punching techniques, neither he was terribly good at but Tyler wouldn’t attack him. Not somewhere where anyone could walk in and witness the assault. Tyler was smarter than that, as hard for it was for Stiles to admit.

  
“You seemed to have healed well,” he said softly, watching Stiles take a step back as he took a step forward. Scott was just outside in the parking lot. All he had to do was scream and he’d hear. The smell of distress was quickly filling the air, however the boy’s bathroom easily masked it. “I’m glad I didn’t hurt you too badly.”

  
Be strong. Be brave.

  
Tyler stepped a few paces forward into Stiles’s space, forcing him up against the wall. Stiles let out a whimper before Tyler’s hand went over his mouth. He spoke in a low whisper right in Stiles’s ear, “I appreciate you not telling your dad about what happened, Stiles. You know you wouldn’t stand a chance in court again any of us. Just because your little circle of friends and family are progressive, doesn’t mean everyone else is. A judge might look at you and see you as nothing more than omega scum.”

  
Stiles growled underneath Tyler’s hand eliciting a look of surprise from the alpha.

“You challenging me, Stiles? Really?”

  
Stiles found the courage to shove Tyler off of him, gaining the upper hand for just a brief moment while the alpha wasn’t necessarily expecting it. He stumbled back just as Stiles peeled himself away from the wall. His eyes flashed red with anger. “S-stop touching me, you asshole! You have no right to touch me!”

  
“You seriously want another beating, kid? I told you I don’t like hurting you but you sure seem to like it since you keep coming back for more.”

  
Stiles reached for the door, knowing this was going to turn bad fast, but Tyler was faster. Of course he was faster than Stiles. He slammed him back into the wall, growling loud enough for anyone in the hall to hear. His claws began to sink into Stiles’s neck just as someone threw the door open. Stiles didn't get the chance to look, busy struggling against the claws piercing into his skin. It burned but the pain drove his punch right into Tyler's unsuspecting stomach. It did little other than cause the alpha to loosen his grip but the alpha, who Stiles realized was Scott, had the rest covered. He threw Tyler across the bathroom floor, eyes red and vicious as he did. Tyler slammed into the wall behind him but got right back into his feet seconds later.

  
Scott took a step in front of Stiles when Tyler advanced. “Take another step and I'll make sure you never walk again,” Scott snarled, flashing his canines in a threatening fashion. Tyler stopped, thinking better of his actions.

  
He began to laugh. “You always need an alpha to save you, huh, Stilinski? ‘Cause all you are is an omega and omegas can't do shit.”

  
The words stabbed into Stiles. He knew Tyler was only saying them to antagonize him but it didn't make them any less real. Stiles had tried to be strong, to be brave and he still needed to be saved by his best friend. He'd never stand a chance against Tyler, that was just pure scientific fact.

  
“Stiles, let's go,” Scott growled under his breath, taking a step back with Stiles while they kept their eyes on Tyler. He led Stiles out of the bathroom and rushed him out of the hallway before speaking another word.

  
“What were you thinking?” he roared, catching the few lingering students’ attentions. Stiles flinched at the intensity of his voice. “He could have done something to you! He was about to do something to you if I hadn't stepped it.”  
His words angered Stiles almost instantly. It was one thing for Tyler to demean him but Scott too?

  
“I was going to the bathroom! It wasn't like I knew he was in there, Scott!”  
“Why didn't you leave? Or call for me? You know I'd hear you.”

  
“Because I didn't need your help!” Stiles knew that was a lie but he still felt the need to say it. He thought it would make him feel better but they definitely did not.

  
Scott laughed humorously. “Oh yeah, that was loud and clear, Stiles. Looked like you had it all taken care of. I guess it was just part of your plan to have Tyler's claws sinking into your neck while you were shoved against the wall. Sounds like a perfect idea.”

  
“Screw you!” Stiles shouted. “I don't always need your protection! Just because I'm an omega doesn't mean I need an alpha by my side all the time!”  
Scott glared at him. “Forgive me for wanting to help you! I should just leave you to deal with that on your own next time. I'm sure you would have totally won a fight against Tyler Masterson.”  
Stiles was fed up and livid. He never thought Scott would view him the way he viewed himself but apparently he did and it hurt way more than he wanted it to. His best friend thought he was a weak omega as well.

  
“I don't need a ride anymore,” Stiles muttered, “I'll just walk.” Scott's face turned from anger to guilt in half a second flat but Stiles was already done. He turned on his heels and began to walk in the direction of Derek's gym which was at least a few miles. He didn't care, targeting his feet hurting than sitting in a car with Scott after what he just said.

  
“Stiles, wait!”

  
He ignored Scott and kept walking.

 

* * *

   
By the time he reached Derek's gym, he had rehearsed what he was going to say a million time over, his feet hurt and his mouth was drier than a desert. Entering the gym for the second time was a different experience, for one, it wasn't silent like it was the first time. There were people, alphas and betas even a few omegas around the gym, each doing their own thing. Some of them were lifting weights or punching bags. Stiles noticed a few in the boxing ring squaring off. He was impressed to say the least; Derek had a gym.

  
It only took a few moments for him to feel out of place. They only thing he and these people had in common was the fact that Stiles was sweating like a dog. It had been a long walk from Beacon Hills High to Alpha, Beta, Omega but Stiles was determined to get here. He was also fueled by adrenaline for the first half and then pure anger for the second. But now that he was here, he was regretting it. What was he going to say?

  
_Train me, Derek. I know I probably made you think you hurt me and I’ve been a real pain in the ass but you need to train me so I can actually defend myself next time Tyler corners me. Also, I’m in love with you, just so you know._

  
His speech, the one he had been practicing on the way, flew out the door along with all of his dignity. He was about to turn to leave when a girl approached him with boxing gloves tied around her wrists. She was a lot smaller than Stiles and from her scent, Stiles could tell she was an omega just like him.

  
“Hi,” she greeted sweetly. “You look lost.”  
Stiles opened then closed his mouth. She laughed gently and then extended her hand.

  
“I’m Oliva, Olive for short.” Stiles shook her hand even though he was confused why the little omega was speaking to him in the first place.

  
“S-Stiles,” he stuttered awkwardly in reply.

  
“Stiles, huh? Are you looking for someone? The owner?”

  
Stiles nodded. “I’m just here to talk to Derek.”

  
Olive threw him a thumbs up and motioned for him to follow. “Follow me, Stiles. I’ll show you the way.”

  
Olive led him through the wide gym to a singular room tucked in the corner. There was a large window that looked out onto the gym floor and Stiles saw Derek sitting behind a desk, writing something down on a sheet of paper. His door was closed when they arrived and Stiles was about to tell Olive he’d come back later but the girl knocked anyway.

  
“Yeah?” Derek’s voice called behind the door and it sent a unnecessary shiver through Stiles’s body. Olive opened the door and Derek didn’t even look up as he greeted her. It took Stiles a second to realize that Derek must have known Olive’s scent to be able to greet her without looking up. His omega sneered inside of him at that thought and the human part of Stiles did as well. He pushed the feeling into the back of his mind, dismissing it.

  
“Hey Der,” she greeted, fueling even more jealousy in Stiles. “I brought-”

  
Derek looked up finding Stiles’s eyes before Olive could finish. “Stiles,” he breathed out, sounding a bit shocked to see him. After what happened, Stiles wasn't exactly surprised that Derek probably assumed he wasn't going to be returning.

  
Olive made a noise. “I didn't know you knew each other.”

  
“Uh, yeah. Thanks for bringing him back, Olive.”

  
Olive stepped out of Stiles’s way and gestured for him to enter. “He's all yours.” She gave him a reassuring smile when Stiles stepped inside. “Need anything else, Der? I'm about to take off.”

  
Derek shook his head, eyes still focused on Stiles. “Thanks, Olive. I'll see you on Thursday for class.”

  
Olive waved at both Derek and Stiles before leaving. Stiles tried to calm his frantic heart once Olive shut the door behind her. It was the first time they were alone together in years. At least last time they were together, his dad was near to ease any awkward tension.

  
“I didn't think you'd come back,” Derek said softly after a silent moment. Stiles still stood by the door, completely unmoving. “Your heart is beating too quickly.”

  
Stiles gulped and forces himself to approach Derek's desk. He sat in the chair across from him, looking like a child summoned to the principal's office.

  
“I wanted to apologize again, Stiles. I didn't mean to scare you. I should have know you'd be sensitive after the attack.”  
Stiles shook his head. “You didn't, Derek. I can't explain it but it wasn't because you scared me. I came here to ask you to train me. I want you to show me how to fight.”

  
Derek shook his head. “Stiles, your heart is frantic right now. If you're scared of me, I can't continue to harm you by training you. We have other trainers here. I'll set you up with one and they'll do it for free, okay?”

  
“No!” Stiles exclaimed. “No, I want you, Derek.” _I need you._

  
Derek look conflicted and it was hurting Stiles to just sit there.

  
“I'm not scared of you, Der. I've never been scared of you.”

  
“You've been through something traumatic.”

  
“You don't think I know that?” Stiles sneered without meaning to. “That's why I need you to train me. You're an alpha, you can show me how to defend myself so that shit never happens again.” He swallowed, overworked and on the verge of begging. “Please, Der.”

  
Derek hesitated and it was the longest moment of silence Stiles had ever experienced. “We need to talk before I agree to this.”

  
“About what?”

  
“The attack.”

  
Stiles felt paralyzed for a moment. Nobody had made him talk about the attack since it happened, not even his dad. He had successfully kept if out of his mind thus far.

  
“I don't want to talk about that,” he mumbled softly. “I can't.”

  
“Stiles, if I'm going to train you, I need to know if something will trigger you or scare you. You don't need to go into detail but we still need to talk about it.”

  
“You're not my therapist, Derek.”

  
“I know that,” Derek said understandingly. “I'm not going to force you but if you want me to privately train you, we need to talk. If you're uncomfortable talking about it with me, I recommend the omega self defense class on Thursdays. It's less hands on and it's in a group setting.”

  
Stiles noticed that his hands balled up into fists on his lap. He knew Derek was being reasonable. There were certain things he needed to know if he were to train Stiles, like how he didn't like being held down or how the smallest movement of someone's hand in his direction made him flinch. He didn't talk about it to anyone and he didn't want to. It wasn't just the attack that scarred him, it was everything Tyler and his friends had ever done to him. Pushing it down wasn't the best plan but it was the only way he was able to sleep at night without nightmares.

  
“If I talk to you about this,” Stiles started, holding the alpha’s gaze, “you have to tell me why you left.”

  
Derek didn't show any emotion on his face just as Stiles did as well. “You get to tell me why after four years of being gone, you decided to come back.”

  
The alpha looked softly at him for a moment before sighing, “Stiles, I've been back for a year.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question for you all: Do you want me to do a chapter or two in Derek's POV or keep it on just Stiles's POV? 
> 
> Any other suggestions or thoughts? I'd love to hear them in the comments.


	4. Chapter 4

“What do you mean you’ve been back for a year?” Stiles practically screamed. “You’ve been back and you didn’t think to come find me and say hello?” He was pretty sure he was going to pop a blood vessel or something from how angry he was.

“Stiles, calm down,” Derek commanded with a gentle voice yet still authoritative. He was just a few octaves short of his alpha voice and it caused Stiles to flinch unintentionally. His mind was reeling with the idea of Derek being back for so long, thinking of all the suffering he had experienced in the past year and how Derek could have been there for him.

“D-don’t tell me what to do,” he growled back, voice wavering pathetically.  

Stiles felt like he was going to throw up or cry. He wasn’t exactly sure which one it was going to be but it was definitely going to be one of the two if he didn't pull it together. His breathing had turned short and sharp, sounding like it did right before a panic attack. That was not something he needed to have in front of Derek although the man had dealt with them before when he had been around.

_When he had been around._

How could he have been back for a year and not have told Stiles? He disappeared from Stiles’s life when he needed him the most and then he didn’t even have the decency to announce his return? Stiles was going to be sick. Derek had been back for an entire year and Stiles had remained clueless.

“Stiles,” Derek called gently and Stiles suddenly hated the soft nature of his voice. It was too much. It made him want to rush into his arms and have him hold his body until he stopped shaking but Derek had denied him that for four years. He made Stiles suffer and wonder what he had done wrong to make him leave without a goodbye. “Stiles, look at me.”

It took Stiles a moment to notice his breathing had gotten ragged. He couldn’t stop it and Derek should have known that. The negative thoughts were clouding his head all at once. Derek left him because he hated him. Stiles was a nuisance. He left so he could get rid of the dead weight of a lonely pup who wanted attention.

_Derek left you because you presented as an omega. You’re worthless. Not even the man you love thinks you’re good enough._

Stiles gasped, trying to rid his thoughts of the terrible things they were saying. His hands were shaking past the point of help and the air was becoming too thin. He hated himself for panicking in front of Derek. He didn’t want the alpha’s help, not after he hadn’t bothered to tell him about his return. Maybe Derek did hate Stiles. Maybe he was only helping him because he felt bad for the Sheriff’s overactive, omega son who couldn’t protect himself.

Derek was kneeling in front of Stiles’s chair before Stiles even registered his movement. He yanked the omega’s trembling hands from his lap and placed one above his heart. Stiles would have ripped it away in a fit of anger if he could do anything other than shake like a leaf. His head was fuzzy and dizzy but as soon as his hand was placed over the alpha’s heart, he focused on it, remembering all the times Derek had done for his before. Stiles’s dad had taught him how to calm Stiles’s racing heart when he had panic attacks like this when they were young so he could help if Stiles’s dad wasn’t around.

“Focus on my heart, Stiles,” Derek commanded without malice in his voice, just softness. “Focus on each beat and match yours.”

Stiles latched onto the beat, feeling it thump against his hand and hearing the beat within his ears. His fingers curled and uncurled slightly against Derek’s chest with every passing moment. He focused, closing his eyes and attempted to slow his breathing. Derek’s scent was comfort as well, as much as he didn’t want it to be. It was slowly calming him down. Each breath he took sounded less and less ragged and frantic.

“There you go,” Derek cooed sweetly. “Just breathe.”

Stiles was coming back to himself slowly at first and then all at once. The pressure of Derek’s hand on his upper arm, keeping him steady, suddenly felt like it was burning him. He yanked both arms out of Derek’s grip as soon as he was in control of his body again and stared at the alpha with a menacing look.

“Stiles, let me explain.”

“Then you better start fucking explaining, Derek,” he growled, unaware of how his omega was letting him speak to an alpha in such a way other than the fact that both the wolf and human part of him were pissed the hell off.

Derek retreated back to his seat, keeping the desk in between the two of them. It was the first time Stiles appreciated the object in between them. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to resist kicking him in the balls if there wasn’t a piece of wood blocking it. Even his omega wanted to jump across the desk and tackle him, although Stiles was convinced he’d end up kissing him if he did that.

“I’ve been back for a year, not necessarily in Beacon Hills but I’ve been back in the area for a year.”

Stiles didn’t say anything, hoping Derek would continue. He didn’t immediately so Stiles decided to prompt him. “Why didn’t you think to tell me?”

“I didn’t know if you still lived here,” Derek said but his heart thumped indicating a lie. Stiles’s eyes narrowed in a glare and Derek noticed. “Okay, I didn’t want you to know I was back, alright?”

Stiles’s own heart thumped hard in pain. “W-why not?”

“Just because. I can’t explain any of this to you, Stiles. It’s just the way it is and I’m sorry.”

Stiles shook his head. “No, if you want me to talk about the attack, you get to talk about this too. I want to know why you left, where you were, why the hell you decided to come back in the first place!”

Derek growled at Stiles’s aggressiveness and then checked himself, smothering a hand over his face in frustration. Stiles knew he was testing the boundaries between alpha and omega but he also knew Derek was a fucking teddy bear inside of that sourwolf body and would let him walk all over him before he snapped. But he was still walking on a very thin line.

“Stiles, I don’t think-”

“Let’s play twenty questions, huh? I get to figure out why you left and you get to hear all about how I was kicked to the ground by a group of alpha.” Derek cringed at his words, looking hurt and murderous at the same time. “Let’s play, Der. It’s been a long time.” Stiles was a big ball of bitterness at the moment and he was just letting it flow right out.

Derek hesitated, looking ready to argue but he must have been terribly curious about Stiles’s attack but he bit back the complaint and nodded.

“I’ll let you go first,” Stiles remarked and leaned back in the chair.

“How many alphas was it?”

“Five,” he responded, keeping his voice as even as possible. “There were five of them but I’m pretty sure only three of them actually attacked me. My turn, where have you been for four, excuse me, _three_ years?”

“A lot of places. I went to Mexico and Washington and Canada. I didn’t stay in one place for very long. What were their names?”

“No,” Stiles said bluntly. “I’m not telling you that. You can ask anything else but their names remain classified.” Stiles so did not need another hotheaded alpha trying to protect him against Tyler and his gang. It was only going to fuel them and cause them to come after Stiles even more.

“I get an extra question than,” Derek commented back bitterly and Stiles almost smirked. The real Derek was slowly seeping through the cracks of his exterior, the Derek Stiles knew before he left. Stiles wanted him to crack, to stop acting like their past was nonexistent and that either of them were even semi-fine. “What did they do to you?”

“Oh, you mean my injuries? Three broken ribs, one that was about an inch away from piercing my lung, too many cuts to count, bruises all over my stomach and back and that was just the stuff the doctors could could see,” he smiled spitefully, needing to speak of it so nonchalantly that it didn’t threaten to consume him again. If he spoke about it seriously, like he really needed to, he was going to slip into a dark hole where no light could ever reach.

Derek’s hands were fists on his lap and Stiles could see the small trickle of blood where his claws were digging into his palms. It was a new sight to behold, Derek Hale actually on the verge of losing control. Stiles wanted to send him over the edge, break that facade he was trying to keep up so well. There was no way Derek was so calm and collected after everything that happened in his life, he just got good at hiding the pain like Stiles had.

“Why did you leave? And I want the real answer, don’t dance around it.”

Derek didn’t say anything for a long time and Stiles wondered if he was going to kick him out. But then he took a deep breath and looked Stiles in the eye. “After what happened with my family, with the fire, I just couldn’t take it, okay? I couldn’t stay in this town and pass the burnt down house everyday like that.”

“Why’d you stay for so long afterward? If you couldn’t bear to see it, why even stay for four years.” Stiles realized the answer just as he asked the question. Technically Derek had been orphaned after the fire. He was only fifteen years old without a mother or a father. He only had his creepy uncle Peter who Stiles had never been a big fan of. He wasn’t able to touch his inheritance until he turned eighteen so he was stuck in a town of horrible memories until his birthday. “I change my question. Did you leaving have anything to do with me?”

He needed to know the answer. Even if Derek wasn’t aware of his love for him, they had still been close friends for years during their childhood. He deserved to know the answer. He deserved to know if Derek left because of him.

Derek looked confused. “Stiles, how could it have ever been about you? I needed to get the hell out of dodge. I was becoming ill, _physically ill_ the longer I stayed here. It had nothing to do with you. You and your dad were the only reasons I wanted to stay but I needed to leave. It was fucking me up too much. If anything, I wanted to make sure I didn’t further screw your lives up with my mess.”

Stiles felt his heart skip. “But you didn’t even say goodbye. You just left,” he had a hard time keeping the sad tone out of his voice.

The alpha sighed. “I thought it was going to be easier that way. I wasn’t thinking about how anyone else was going to feel. I was nineteen and I was depressed,” he admitted. “I should have said goodbye. I should have told you I was back but I thought I was saving you from myself. From my fucked up little world. I didn’t want to drag you down with me. You are too good for that, too innocent.”

Stiles scoffed despite the sweet nature of his words. “I’m anything but innocent, Der.”

“You were just a kid. You had just presented. I thought if I left early, you’d forget about me and move on with your life.”

“You know I was anything but a kid when you left. If it wasn’t losing my mom, it was presenting or the fact that I went through my first heat locked in a janitor's closet at school because my body decided freshman English was the perfect time to start spewing out hormones,” he laughed, remembering that day. His dad had to leave work early to help convince Stiles to come out of the closet. Not even Scott could get him out. He had been terrified and he had only been thinking about Derek, wanting Derek next to him on the sticky floor but Derek was never there.

“You had your first heat at school?”

Stiles nodded, shrugging his shoulders. “Just another part of being an omega. Suppressants saved my life.”

“You’re on suppressants?” there was an underlying growl in his tone. “Those are extremely unhealthy for you, Stiles.”

“I believe you exceeded your one question limit,” Stiles muttered, not wanting to go into the health side effects of being on suppressants. His doctor had told him numerous times but being without a heat every mouth was good enough to ignore the other side effects. “Why’d you decide to come home?”

“Would you believe me if I said it was because I wanted to see you again?” Derek asked with a sly, joking smile. It made Stiles grin back for the first time and it lit up his heart. He shook his head, still smiling slightly. “It was because I needed to make peace with this town. I spent too much time letting it consume me. I had a lot of good memories here before the fire. I just need to remember those instead of the bad ones.”

Stiles liked hearing the real Derek speak, the one who had actual emotions and wasn’t trying to hide what happened to him. They had both been through traumatic things and that was why they needed each other.

“Are you still mad at me or will you talk to me about your attack so I can train you? Get everything out in the open while we’re at it, huh?”

Stiles nodded jerkily knowing he couldn’t talk his way out of this. Derek had opened up to him about what happened so he needed to do the same. He knew Derek wasn’t going to push him too hard to answer which he appreciated more than words could express. Luckily his dad didn’t ask him too much either. He was probably itching to know but Stiles knew it was only going to hurt him if he went into detail. The sheriff had seen the result of the attack, he didn’t need to know exactly how it went down.

“G-go ahead,” Stiles encouraged weakly. He wanted Derek to trust him like he trusted Derek. There was no way he’d be able to get closer to Derek if he didn't allow him to understand what happened to him.

Derek gave him a sympathetic look. “You can trust me, Stiles.”

“I know.”

“Can you start by telling me if anything triggers you?” Triggers. Stiles had dealt with them a lot after his mom died. His panic attacks were triggered by many things, stress, fear, lack of sleep which he experienced quite often after his mom's death. Triggers for his attack were different though. He hadn't learned them all yet; it had only been a few days since it happened. Of course he had things that triggered him from previous events but he didn't think that was what Derek was necessarily asking about.

Stiles shrugged. “I guess I don't like when people hold me down.” There was a time when Tyler grinded his face into the grass during lacrosse tryouts. He had been wearing a helmet so it wasn't as bad as it could have been but Tyler put his entire weight on Stiles, holding him down on the ground after he tackled him and whispered _omega bitches can't play lacrosse_. It was the truth since he couldn't play but Stiles didn't need to hear it while his face was being pushed into the ground.

Derek nodded, writing something down on a sheet of paper. Stiles realized he was taking notes and his omega preened at the fact that the alpha was being so considerate and caring.

“Anything else?”

“I don't like being called omega or bitch or anything else degrading,” Stiles replied softly. “I'll flinch if you raise your voice or use your alpha voice on me so don't. Uh, shifting in front of me, especially if you're angry, will probably trigger a panic attack. I'm sure there are others but I haven't exactly unleashed them yet so stay tuned.” As nonchalant as Stiles was being, he felt vulnerable speaking of such things, especially in front of Derek. However, the alpha gave him a sense of comfort without doing much other than sitting there, listening.

“Thank you for trusting me, Stiles.”

Stiles gave him a timid smile. All anger he felt toward Derek was gone. The omega part of him was back to lusting over the alpha but he seemed to have better control of it, especially when Derek was across from him and not touching any part of his body.

“So,” Stiles began, “would you still be willing to train me, one-on-one?”

“As long as you’re comfortable with it, Stiles. That’s all I care about. I really thought I pushed you too far last time but if you’re willing to be vocal and talk to me if anything makes you uncomfortable, then yes, I’d be honored to train you.”

Stiles had to hold back his excitement, although he was pretty sure Derek could sense it. He was saturating the room in happy pheromones. “Thank you, Derek. It really means a lot to me and my dad that you’re doing this for us. I promise I’ll find a way to pay you back at some point. I know you’re doing this for free.”

Derek shook his head. “No no, there’s no need for that. I’m doing it for free on my own free will. If you want to do something in return, I’d love it if you came to my omega self defense class. It’s every Thursday at 6 pm.”

Stiles didn’t want to say no after what Derek was doing for him but he also didn’t want to give an immediate yes. He needed time to think about it. Omegas were good together in groups, like a support system but Stiles had never had that before. Being an omega had always separated him from his friends in a physical way.

“How about I think about it?” Stiles offered.

Derek nodded briefly, looking happy with Stiles’s answer. “As long as you think about it.”

The happy smell in the air only increased as the two sat there and Stiles finally had hope for something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your feedback on the last chapter and the not so update chapter! I decided to forgo a Derek pov chapter at the moment. I thought about it and read all of your comments and I decided it's not the time for it. This story is obviously focused on Stiles so I feel like I would be revealing too much too soon by going into Derek's mind. I promise all will be revealed in time. This chapter gave a little bit of insight on Derek's motives so I hope that helped!
> 
> Let me know what you guys thought or any comments in general:)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I managed to finish all of my soul crushing homework so I finally got to finish this chapter! (Don't go to college, kids... I'm just kidding) ~~maybe~~ I hope you guys like it.

Scott tried calling him multiple times after Stiles returned home from Derek’s gym. He was far too happy about his current situation to venture back into their fight. His best friend thought he was weak and needed constant protection. No wonder he thought self defense with another alpha was such a good idea. He probably thought Stiles would fail and then need his constant protection. Stiles wasn’t about to burst his own bubble of happiness just to appease Scott so he ignored him.

Stiles was scheduled at work down at the diner that evening. His boss had been kind enough to let him take a few days off after the attack but it was time to go back. In spite of his wishes, Stiles was still going to pay Derek back at some point for the lessons. He hated feeling like a charity case. Other than that, Stiles needed to pay for his suppressants again. The nurse had given him a week’s supply but those were almost out as well. His dad would pay for them this time, he knew that but Stiles wasn’t going to let it become a reoccurring thing. Suppressants were his idea so he deserved to pay for them.

When he arrived at the diner, he threw on his apron, readying himself for a slow evening. The diner never got too busy on weekdays which both bothered Stiles, for lack of money, and relieved him because he didn’t have to interact with too many people a night. They had regulars who Stiles loved, mainly older men and women. It wasn’t them who exhausted Stiles each night, it was the people who thought they were better. A minimum wage job suddenly became a bottom feeder job in society. Stiles was used to be seen as lower so it hardly bothered him anymore.

“Table 23 requested you, babe,” Mel, one of Stiles’s co-workers announced as she passed him. “It’s that hot alpha friend of yours. He’s been waiting for a while already.” Mel was an alpha as well but same presentation couples were actually pretty common. Stiles immediately knew who she was talking about and his heart sunk. Mel always had a thing for Scott even though he was years younger than her and not at all interested.

“Could someone else take him?” Stiles whined uncomfortably. He hadn’t even managed to ignore his best friend for 24 hours.

Mel gave him a sideways look. She, honest to God, looked like a fifties waitress with red lipstick and fluffy skirts. The lipstick tended to match her eyes when customers pissed her off and it always made Stiles laugh.

“You guys get in a fight or something?”

Stiles nodded. “Or something.”

Mel shrugged. “Nobody else to take it, sweetie. Just go get it over with. Fighting is bad for you, too much stress and you’re way too young to be stressing about the small things in life.”

Stiles appreciated her words but Mel truly had no idea.

“Fine, but if we start yelling and scare your customers away, you can only blame yourself.”

Mel winked at him and continued on her way out the kitchen door. Stiles took a few deep breathes to calm himself and then went into the dining area. He could see the back of Scott’s head from where he stood behind the counter. Scott was alone, which only further upset Stiles. He wished Isaac was with him to ease the tension but Scott must have wanted to talk. They hated being mad at each other but that didn’t mean Stiles wanted to forgive him so easily.

“What do you want?” Stiles asked roughly when he approached the booth Scott was sitting in. Scott looked up with hopeful eyes that changed as soon as he saw Stiles’s angry demeanor. Stiles wasn’t kidding when he told people Scott had a way of looking like a kicked puppy. It made it extremely hard for him to actually be mad. Scott had been his best friend practically since birth and sure, he was an asshole sometimes but then again, Stiles had his moments as well.

“Are you going to order something or what?” Stiles knew he was being cold and unforgiving and he was starting to feel kind of bad.

“I, uh, I came to talk to you,” Scott stuttered, his hands fidgeting in his lap.

“You gotta order something if you’re going to sit here.”

Scott gave him an exasperated look. “Stiles, come on.”

“I’m not kidding, Scott. It’s a rule. You sit, you buy.”

He sighed, flipping the menu over and looking for a brief moment. Stiles was already aware of what he was going to get and never understood why he looked at the menu every time he came here to eat. It was always the same thing, a chocolate shake and a fries. Nobody said Scott was original.

“Chocolate shake and fries,” Scott muttered, tossing the menu in Stiles’s direction. He didn’t look up again until Stiles walked away to enter his order.

Mel heard everything and gave him a displeased look. She was silently judging him from afar.

He knew he needed to talk to Scott and stop acting so immature. The likelihood of Scott having actually meant the words that came out of his mouth earlier was very slim. He was only worried about him and what Tyler could have done if he hadn’t saved him.

One of the cooks handed Stiles a basket of fries after he grabbed Scott’s milkshake. He headed back over to the table and placed the food and shake down in front of Scott. He was about to walk away when he thought better of it and sat down across from him. Scott gave him a confused look while he dipped the fry into his shake.

“You bought something,” Stiles stated the obvious, “so you can stay and talk if you want.”

“I didn’t mean what I said,” Scott said quickly after Stiles finished his sentence. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to be such an asshole. I know you’ve been through a lot with the attack and everything and I just thought I could protect you, make sure it didn’t happen again. That’s the only reason I said what I did. I didn’t mean you were weak or pathetic. Tyler is an alpha and a strong one at that but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t have held your own. I was wrong to say that you couldn’t.”

Stiles nodded, stealing one of Scott’s fries which earned him another puzzled look.

“I just,” Scott started again, looking conflicted, “can’t see you get hurt again, Stiles. You won’t ever understand how I felt when your dad told my mom you were in the hospital because you weren’t in that position. I knew you were being taunted but I didn’t think it would ever go that far. That fact that it did, the fact that I just allowed it to go that far...I’m just really sorry.”

Stiles sighed. There was no way he could keep being mad at Scott after that. He had forgiven Derek for ditching him for four years so he could forgive Scott for one rude comment that he didn’t really mean. Plus, he just looked so sad and Stiles didn’t like seeing him sad, especially when he was eating his favorite food.

“You’re forgiven,” Stiles announced after a few passing moments, snagging another fry from his plate. “I know you didn’t mean it, it just hurt my feelings. I was all wound up and freaked out and I didn’t appreciate you yelling at me. You made me feel weak, weaker than I normally do.”

“I’m sorry, dude,” Scott said again softly. “It just freaked me out. I heard what he was saying and I just flipped. I told you I’d make sure you were safe; I told your dad I would keep you safe.”

“Scotty, it wasn’t like you didn’t. Tyler hardly even touched me.”

“You were bleeding from the neck,” Scott replied bluntly.

Stiles smirked, exposing his neck to Scott. “Nothing there anymore, see?”

Scott rolled his eyes. “I’m going to kill him if he comes near you again, just a heads up.”

“That would be called murder, buddy. I don’t recommend it. Not even my dad can bail you out of that one.”

Scott made an unpleasant noise which made Stiles laugh. “So, we’re good?”

Stiles stole another fry. “Yeah dude, we’re good.”

 

* * *

 

The next few days went by without incident. Stiles was scheduled to see Derek again on Friday when they would set up a more basic schedule that they could keep to. When Thursday came by, Stiles was battling an internal war with himself on whether or not to go to the group session. He wanted to see Derek and he wanted to appease the alpha by showing up but he wasn’t sure if he was ready for it.

Ten minutes before six pm when the class began, Stiles was shoving on basketball shorts and running shoes and announcing that he was going to Derek’s gym. His dad couldn’t have looked happier if he tried. He didn’t say anything but Stiles could tell he was proud of him for doing something for himself for once, without having to pressure him.

In truth, Stiles felt pretty proud of himself. He was giving it a try. Whether the real reason was because of Derek or not, he was still going and that was what counted. He was suddenly irrationally nervous which was strange considering they were even going to be alone. It was a big group so Stiles really had nothing to be nervous about.

Stiles arrived ten minutes late, clumsily jumping out of his car and hurrying inside. It was like showing up to school late. The second the door opened, every single head turned in his direction like he was some sort of intruder. Which Stiles was aware was the case considering nobody but Derek and Olive, who waved at him happily, knew him. Derek smiled as Stiles stumbled into the room, tripping over his gangly legs. Stiles’s heart thumped wildly, although he blamed it on his trip rather than the fact that Derek was staring at him with his beautiful smile.

“I’m good,” he announced pointlessly as he recovered from his near fall.

“Stiles,” Derek greeted, stepping away from the group of omegas to meet him halfway. “I’m glad you made it.”

“I just, uh, I thought it would be a good idea,” he muttered and shrugged like it was no big deal when in fact, it was a very big deal to him.

“Well I’m happy you decided to come,” Derek responded. It was surreal to see the kind side of Derek so prominent after years of being drowned by his grief. The latter half of their friendship, if he could even call it that, was constantly full of sadness and anger so seeing Derek smile, a genuine smile, was like the sun and Stiles loved the sun.

“Sorry I’m late,” Stiles whispered to just Derek.

“We were actually just getting started so no worries. Why don’t you join the rest of the group and we’ll get started.” Derek turned to the rest of the group who was still staring. “Guys, this is Stiles. He’s just checking the class out so show him the ropes if he needs help, alright?”

The group of omegas all nodded and followed with their eyes as Derek returned to the front of the gym where Olive was standing. Stiles shuffled into the back of the class and gave a short nod to another male omega standing to his right. The kid didn’t look more than fifteen and it instantly made Stiles feel sick wondering why he had joined the class. He hoped it was only because he wanted to make sure he could defend himself in a bad situation.

“So today, we’re going to be working on our kicks and reviewing the skills we learned in the past couple classes. I want you all to pair off with each other and we’ll go from there.” Stiles’s mouth went dry with anxiety. He hated picking partners, especially in situations where he didn’t know anyone. He didn’t even have his basic moves down yet since he had only been through one real session with Derek. While everyone else paired with each other, Stiles remained where he stood until Derek came to him followed by Olive.

“Since you weren’t here for the first couple of classes, I’m going to have Olive go over what we practiced to catch you up. I went over a few of the moves with you during our first session together so you shouldn’t be too far behind. Don’t worry if you don’t catch up today. We’ll work on it.” Derek patted Stiles on the back and then drew his hand back with a grave look on his face. “Shit, sorry about that. I should have asked if I could do that before I did it.”

Stiles tilted his head in confusion. It was a simple gesture and nobody had ever asked if they could do it to him before.

Olive interjected before Derek could explain. “Here at Alpha, Beta, Omega, we believe in consent with all things. There are many people who come here that have experienced situations where consent was not recognized or it was ignored so we always ask before we do. Even simple gestures need consent here. There are a few members who don’t like to be touched at all and we respect that,” she finished and offered Stiles a smile.

Derek looked proud. “And that is why you, Olive, are my favorite employee.”

Olive rolled her blue eyes. “I’m your only employee, Der. Don’t try too hard to flatter me.”

Stiles felt the familiar pang of jealousy in his chest at the way Derek looked at Olive. She was pretty and Stiles wouldn’t blame Derek for being attracted to her but he was still in love with him so it hurt. He quickly dismissed the thought before his scent could reveal what he was feeling.

“Are you okay with her helping you out?”

Stiles hesitated because he wanted Derek, not Olive. She was nice and she worked with Derek so she obviously knew her stuff but Stiles simply wanted Derek. However, he wasn’t about to announce to in front of everyone, especially Derek himself. He needed to act like it was no big deal, not like his omega was scratching at the surface because Derek was paying attention to another, prettier omega, rather than him.

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Stiles said nonchalantly, giving Olive a believable grin. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings even though she was all buddy-buddy with Derek and he was not. It wasn’t her fault Derek left him.

Derek smiled again and it made Stiles’s knees weak. “Cool! I just be over there if you need anything. Have fun, learn lots.” Stiles chuckled and watched Derek approach the group of omegas.

He turned to Olive and waited.

“He mentioned something happened to you. He didn’t say what so don’t worry about it but I just wanted to say that I’m sorry and I hope we can help you feel stronger and more confident. We’ve all been through things here so if you ever need to talk or something, we’re here. I know I might sound like a broken record but just know, you aren’t alone.”

Stiles didn’t know what to say in response. People in his life tended to bounce around what happened to him. His dad tried not to mention it, Scott hardly said the word “attacked” around him and all of his other friends suddenly became uncomfortable when anything of the sorts was brought up. He had only spoken to Derek about it and the cops and with both, he hadn’t told the entire story. With the cops, he explained it in the most basic way and they didn’t question him further since he wasn’t reporting them. With Derek, he spoke of it a little more in detail but still not the full thing. He didn’t like to speak about it or think about it.

“Thanks, Olive,” Stiles finally responded just to say something.

Her worried expression was quickly replaced with cheerful one. “Well let’s get started!”

 

* * *

 

By the time he and Olive finished their training, it was dark outside and most of the other omegas had left. There were a few having a discussion with Derek and Stiles forced himself not to listen. He didn’t want to be invasive or nosy.

Olive was helping him stretch down on the ground when Derek finally walked over. Stiles had resisted staring at him all night but now that he was up close, Stiles couldn’t help it.

“How’d everything go tonight?” His eyes flickered down to Stiles. “You looked like you were getting the hang of it, Stiles. I’m impressed!”

His omega preened happily hearing those words from an alpha.

“He’s pretty good, Der. He’s got the punches and blocked down cold. I’ll work with him more on the kicks next Thursday if you want? We’re good buddies now, us two omegas.” Olive playfully bumped Stiles with her elbow. Stiles had consented to touch at the beginning of their session so it was no big deal and it made Derek chuckle.

“I'll allow that if Stiles is willing to come back next Thursday?”  

Stiles nodded eagerly. Even though he was sore, it felt good to hit something even if it was just a padded cushion that Olive held up for him. It felt nice to feel just an ounce stronger than he was when he entered the gym.

Derek helped Olive up from the floor and then went to Stiles who was already pushing himself up. He grabbed his hand anyway and let him lift his body up from the ground. Derek smelled like home and comfort and Stiles wanted to hug him and scent him but he didn’t, he couldn’t.

“I’ll walk you out to your car,” Derek told him as he began to leave, thanking Olive for her help. Stiles nodded, afraid to set his mouth into motion. Derek followed him out the door and into the brisk air of the night.

“Thanks for letting me do this again,” Stiles finally spoke once they reached his car. Roscoe had been in the shop since before his attack so it was nice to have him back. He liked having his own transportation. It made him feel more independent.

“Stiles,” Derek said with a small sigh. “You don't need to keep thanking me. I want to help you or else I wouldn't be doing this for you.”

Stiles nodded, looking down at his feet. “I just know when you left, we weren't on the best terms. And when you came back, I know I wasn't the nicest person so really, thank you.”

“You're welcome,” Derek answered kindly, giving Stiles what he wanted. “I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

“Yeah, I'll be by after school.”

“I'll see you then.”

Stiles began to open his car door, wrestling with his feelings that were threatening to push through the surface. He didn't want to give in but his omega was howling at him for contact. The contact he had been so desperate for since Derek left. He just wanted Derek to hold him and tell him he was okay. He wanted to be safe in Derek’s arms. So he turned.

“Der?” Stiles whispered softly, just enough to catch Derek's attention. The alpha turned back around as he was previously about to go back inside. Stiles stood there for a few passing moments, unable to force himself to speak again. Derek must have sensed his anxiety because he stepped closer. His face got real worried and soft like he did when Stiles was younger and frightened.

“What's wrong?”

“I was just,” Stiles muttered. “I was wondering-” he stopped again, gulping and wondering he should just get in the car and leave but he needed to feel Derek's touch again. “I was wondering if you could, I mean, if I could hug you?” Consent. They went off of consent and if Derek didn’t say yes than Stiles wasn’t going to hug him.

Derek didn't respond, temporarily confused by the question by the expression on his face. It must have taken the extra scent of embarrassment and anxiety spewing from Stiles to get his brain working again. Or maybe it was Stiles’s shaky posture and lack of eye contact that got him worried. Whatever it was, he held his arms open and said “Stiles, come here,” in a calming tone.

Stiles nearly broke when he reached Derek’s arms and felt them wrap around his slender body. It was a sensation he hadn’t felt in a while. His dad hugged him but it wasn’t the same. Stiles’s omega didn’t want a fatherly touch or even Scott’s touch. He had craved the familiar feeling of Derek’s arms and now he was able to feel it again. He choked on a sob he didn’t know had even begun. Derek shushed him softly, rubbing gentle circles into his back. The alpha probably thought Stiles was having a breakdown due to the attack and that may have been part of it but it was also the overwhelming feelings coursing through his body all at once.

“Der,” Stiles croaked, breathing in his scent.

“You’re okay,” Derek whispered and it reminded Stiles of after his mom had died. Derek hadn’t fallen into a depression yet because the fire hadn’t yet happened so he was there to comfort Stiles. Stiles cried for days but Derek was there for each one of them. He used to let Stiles curl up against him and he’d whisper calming words into his ear until he fell asleep. Stiles didn’t miss the sadness but he did miss those moments when he felt utterly safe despite his world crumbling around him.

“Der, I missed you,” Stiles whimpered without meaning to but then it was out in the open already so he just went with it. He felt Derek smile against the crown of his head as he continued to soothe Stiles.

“I missed you too, Stiles.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick question: Are you guys liking the progression of Stiles and Derek's relationship? I planned for this to be a sort of slower build, starting off as friends and then transitioning into lovers but if you guys feel like it's too slow, let me know. I need some feedback on this. I know there hasn't been any smut either. I think there's a lot to focus on right now but might just be me. So give me your opinions, ideas, all that fun stuff!:)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the feedback on the last chapter! I appreciate every single comment! I have decided to keep things slower but add little things here and there to show Derek's interest. It's not going to be immediate sex or anything so if you're in this for that, you're gonna have to wait a little bit... sorry. I want to make sure they relationship is realistic. Both Stiles and Derek have issues they need to work out before they can be in a full fledged relationship. Don't worry though, there's going to be development. Any questions or concerns will be answered in the comments:)

Stiles had felt Derek’s touch of him for the entire night when he returned home. There was nothing sexual about it, nothing that turned him on. It was just a simple touch that calmed every nerve inside of him, slowed his beating heart. But it also made Stiles realize Derek had no underlying feelings for him. He had held him and smelled of nothing but comfort. Stiles’s omega wasn’t too happy about that fact, wanting the alpha to want him back but Derek had never seen him as anything more than someone he cared about, someone he wanted to protect. Stiles had to be okay with that. Derek was back in his life and that was all that mattered. He didn’t need to scare him off by confessing his undying love. 

He was okay with that, or at least that was what he was trying to convince himself of. 

Friday morning, he drove himself to school without the guidance or protection of another alpha. He walked himself to first period without Scott as much as his best friend protested. Stiles wanted to do it on his own. Just because he was attacked didn’t mean he needed to be helpless. If he appeared at all helpless to Tyler or any of his friends, they were going to do something worse to him. 

At the end of his fourth class, he stepped out into the hallway only to be blocked by Malia’s arm. He stopped, giving her a puzzled look before she dragged him out of the way of the other students attempting to leave. 

“Malia, what are you doing?” 

“Walking you to your next class,” she said bluntly and motioned for him to follow. 

“Did Scott seriously put you up to this? I’m perfectly capable of walking across campus without having a panic attack, you know?” Well, as long as he didn’t see Tyler. 

“Scott didn’t put me up to anything. Why can’t I ever do something nice for you people without being questioned for it?” she snarled with an eyeroll. 

Stiles knew not to answer that question. “Your class is on the other side of the schools. Why are you walking me to mine? I’m okay. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you guys that.” 

“Don’t lie, Stiles. You’re not fine and everyone knows it.” 

Stiles sighed. He didn’t want to get into another fight so soon after he had just made up with Scott. “Just because I’m not 100% fine doesn’t mean I can’t walk myself to class. Scott has been walking me all week and I kind of just want some me time, okay? It’s nothing against you. I just want to walk.” 

There was already talk around school about the incident on Monday. Everyone knew who had kicked Stiles’s ass in the parking lot now. They knew Tyler cornered him in the bathroom and that Stiles had to be saved by another alpha because he couldn’t fight back. There was more to the story going around but none of it was correct. It was just dumb ass kids saying dumbass things and Stiles tried to ignore it as best he could.

“Would you just let me walk you to class?” Malia sneered. 

Stiles shrugged and kept walking. They only made it a few feet before someone said something stupid under their breath about Stiles as they passed. He was going to ignore it but Malia had heard it to and before he could stop her, she had the boy slammed into the locker behind them.

“Mal,” Stiles protested but she had already shifted, eyes red and claws digging into the boy's skin. 

“What did you say you little shit?” 

The boy she held was a beta but he didn't cower under her angry demeanor. Instead, he chuckled. “I called him an omega bitch.” 

Stiles cringed at the words when they entered his ears the second time. It wouldn't have bothered him, however the beta said it with the same malice in his voice as Tyler always did. 

Malia shoved her forearm against the beta's throat she to cut off his oxygen. He struggled for a moment, pressing back which only made her press harder. “Shut your damn mouth!” 

The commotion had caused a crowd to form and Stiles became increasingly more anxious. He just wanted to walk away but he wasn't about to leave Malia. Knowing her, she'd probably end up breaking some of the dipshits bones.

“Malia, come on, he's not worth it.” He could see a few teachers heading their way, the crowd covering Malia from their sight. 

Malia growled again, roughly pushing herself away from the beta. He rubbed his bleeding neck, which would soon heal and lifted himself up from the locker. Malia stared him down for a few seconds just before the teachers could be heard breaking up the crowd from the back. Stiles grabbed her hand to pull her away before she did something stupid that would get her suspended. He didn’t need her defending his honor over something so worthless. She resisted his tug for a moment before flipping the beta off and turning toward Stiles. 

“Whatever,” the beta muttered back and Stiles was so close to just walking away before he whispered something else under his breathe. Both he and Malia stopped in their tracks, clearly pissed off. Malia turned with a sickly smile on her face and tilted her head. “You wanna say that again?”

The beta looked her dead in the eye and repeated himself. “Whatever, bitch.” 

Before Malia could react, the blood in Stiles’s veins boiled despite the words not being directed at him. He was sick of people thinking they could say whatever they wanted without consequence. There was no stopping him even when Malia tried to reach for him, realizing what he was about to do before he did. His fist was soaring through the air with nothing to stop it other than the beta’s face. And when it did, there was a smash of bone against bone and then something snapped in Stiles’s hand on impact. By the sound the beta made it front of him, something broke on his face as well. Stiles yelped in pain, shaking his hand as it began to throb harshly. The beta sank down, clutching his face right as the teachers reached them. 

Stiles didn’t resist when they corralled him away with Malia trailing them, shouting for them to let him go. His mind was too focused on his aching hand and the satisfaction of hitting some asshole in the face even if it ended up hurting his hand. It got him to shut up and that was all that mattered.

 

* * *

 

“For the last time,” Malia snarled at the principal after having marched her way in when Stiles was asked inside, “that little bitch of a beta was the one who started it. If anyone should be in here, it’s him, not Stiles. If I’m not mistaken, Stiles was attacked in  _ your  _ parking lot and none of you have done a thing about it.” 

Principal Greene sighed, clearly done with Malia at the moment. He hadn’t even gotten to ask Stiles what happened by the time Malia burst through the doors. She told him like it was, the whole truth, even that she was the one who provoked him further. Stiles was just defending himself, which wasn’t entirely the truth. He had just really wanted to hit someone. 

“Malia, Stiles decided not to report his attackers. We were more than willing to do something about it but we can’t unless Stiles would like to admit who did it.” 

“I think we’re all pretty aware of which one of them did it, Principal Greene! 

“Malia,” Stiles urged under his breathe. 

“Listen, I’m not going to punish anyone, okay? I know you’ve been through a lot, Stiles but that is still no excuse to punch another student in the face. Like I said, I’m not going to punish anyone, just don’t do it again.” 

Malia looked annoyed but Stiles was just thankful for being let off easy. He didn’t need a phone call home on his first day of being allowed to go without an escort everywhere. His dad thought he was getting better. If he knew Stiles punched someone in the face because they said something wrong, he’d be right back to square one. 

“Thank you, Principal Greene,” Stiles mumbled, flexing his hand gently. Something was broken and it was healing too fast for Stiles to stop it. He just winced and held it closer to his body. 

“You might want to get that check on,” Principal Greene commented, noticing the way he cradled his hand. 

Stiles nodded even though he definitely wasn’t going to go to the nurse. They’d call home too and he just narrowly escaped that. It would be fine once it fully healed despite the bone being slightly crooked and out of place. 

“Get back to class, both of you. I don’t want to see either of you for the rest of the year, hm? Sound like a plan?” 

Stiles and Malia both made noises of agreement and stood to leave. 

“Thanks for trying, Malia.” 

She smirked. “Nice punch. Wish I would have been the one to do it.”

Stiles chuckled knowing she would have probably broken the kid’s jaw had she been the one to punch him. Plus, now Stiles knew what it felt like to punch real flesh opposed to the cushioned material Derek always had him practicing on. Now, he could close his eyes and imagine punching Tyler if he ever had a bad memory. 

“You should take the rest of the day off, Stiles. Seriously. You probably need to get that hand checked out. I’ll cover for you.” 

Stiles wasn’t opposed to the idea at all. He knew for a fact that the latter half of his day was boring as hell and that he’d probably see Tyler if he didn’t inside the school until everyone left. He would much rather drive himself to Derek’s gym and hang out with him there than remain at school. Part of him worried Derek wouldn’t want him there but Stiles didn’t care. Derek owed him for all the time he was away. 

“Thanks again, Mal.” 

She shrugged like it was no big deal. “You don’t deserve that shit. I know you might think you do or whatever but you seriously don’t. None of them have the right to say that kind of stuff to anyone. Just remember that, okay? I’ll punch anyone who says differently.” 

Stiles wanted to give her a hug as her words made him feel warm but Malia wasn’t a hugger. 

“Go before one of the security guards actually does their job and stops you.” 

Stiles waved goodbye and headed out to the parking lot. He still hated it out there, could still see the bloodstain on the pavement that was poorly washed away by one of the janitors. It made him sick to his stomach but he forced himself to focus on getting to Derek. That calmed his wolf and made him tamper down inside of him. 

When he got to Alpha, Beta, Omega, he made a beeline for Derek's office, waving at Olive as he passed her. She looked momentarily confused but shrugged and went back to whatever she was doing. Stiles gently knocked with his good hand and waited for Derek to answer. 

“Stiles?” he called questionly just as Stiles opened the door. Derek look down at his watch and back at the omega with an arched eyebrow. “I know it's been like 5 years since I've been in school but if I recall correctly, it never ended at noon.” 

Stiles rolled his eyes, wanting to laugh at Derek's attempt at being a strict adult. “So what, I skipped a couple of classes. Senioritis is a thing, Der.” 

Derek chuckled. “Your dad know?” 

“No…” Stiles answered sheepishly. 

Derek went quiet for a moment, looking skeptically at Stiles. “Well, as long as you're here, we can get some extra things in today.” 

Stiles smiled widely at Derek, plopping himself into the cushioned chair. He kicked his feet up on the edge of the desk and earned a disapproving sourwolf look from the alpha. It made Stiles's omega want to taunt him further.

“Let's start with days we meet. We need to make a schedule and stick to it. I'll teach you everything I can for the first few weeks and then if you want to continue, our sessions can just be practice. I'm open Monday through Friday, sometimes Saturday mornings as well. I know you have school and homework so I'm more than willing to work around it. What works best for you?” 

Stiles shrugged. “How many times are we going to meet?” 

“Up to you.” 

_ Every single day.  _

“Uh, well if I go to the omega self defense class on Thursdays then that counts as one, I guess so how about two other days?” 

Derek nodded and jotted that down. “Days?”

“Monday and Wednesday?” That way he could see Derek every other day. He could live with that. He had gone four years without seeing him so he knew it was possible. 

They had gone through everything Derek needed to know in about an hour. The throbbing in Stiles’s hand had stopped since but every time he looked at it, he could see the slight bump where the bone was displaced on his middle finger. He made sure to keep it out of Derek’s sight as best he could. 

Other than days, Derek asked him what he wanted to learn, reviewed the things Stiles didn’t like or didn’t want to do, gave him his cell phone number just in case (which made Stiles freak out inside) and gave Stiles a print out of their lesson plan for the next few weeks. Stiles reviewed this list and felt much better just reading it. Everything on the list was manageable and he hopeed it would help him in the end. 

“Do you want to stay and get some extra practice in? The lesson sheet doesn’t technically start until Monday but you’re already here so you might as well.” 

Stiles nodded eagerly. After punching that beta earlier, he was amped up on the energy that made him feel stronger. He didn’t necessarily want to punch something again but he would gladly kick a few things around. 

“Can we do some kicking?” Stiles asked. “I need to work on some of that.” 

“Yeah,” Derek said happily. “Go for it.” 

Stiles got up, noticing that Derek didn’t follow. “Are you coming?” 

Derek looked up from his paperwork. “Oh, oh you meant both of us.” 

Stiles smiled warily. “Yeah, uh, I’m just no good at anything quite yet. I need the extra help and as great as Olive is, I’m pretty sure she’s training someone else out there.” Stiles felt his cheeks heat up as Derek’s eyes were trained on him. He might as well have just said  _ I want you, Derek. I’ve always wanted you! _

“Yeah, you know what? It’s much better than sitting back here doing paperwork.” He stood from his desk and Stiles grinned. 

“Yeah, screw that paperwork,” Stiles replied, flipping the sheets of paper off. His fake anger caused Derek to let out a muffled chuckle. 

They walked out into the open gym together and began right where they left off last session.

 

* * *

 

They spent a while getting Stiles’s kicks down. He was pretty terrible at them, always losing balance or not hitting the dummy with enough force. Derek encouraged him the entire time, never getting frustrated with him. Each did he praised Stiles, he made his stomach clench in a happy way. He had to work extra hard to make sure Derek couldn’t smell the slight tinge of arousal building up every time he said something moderately praise-worthy. Luckily for Stiles, the suppressants masked most of his scent to begin with. 

“Alright, enough of that or your legs are going to fall off,” Derek joked, grabbing for some kickboxing gloves. Stiles’s eyes went wide, momentarily freaking out. It had been hard enough to curl his fingers into a semi-fist when he was kicking upon Derek’s instructions and he couldn’t punch with his left for shit. 

He tossed the gloves toward Stiles who wasn’t expecting them and let them fall to the floor. Derek just huffed slightly with a short grin and grabbed his own. Stiles bent over, grabbing them with his good hand, trying to ease the panic in his chest. He couldn’t let Derek see or he’d call his dad or spend him home. He told himself it was all in his head; there was no real pain. 

After sliding the gloves on, he flex his hands gently, wincing briefly while Derek was distracted. Once Stiles fully looked at him, he noticed Derek wasn’t just putting on normal gloves, he was wearing the ones that were meant to be hit with the padded target on the palm. Stiles wanted to duck out now. 

“You ready?” Derek questioned, positioning himself in front of Stiles with his hands up, palms open. Stiles took a moment to look around at the rest of the people in the gym. None of them were wimping out because of a little pain. If anything, they were driven by the pain, some of the alphas growling roughly as they fought in the ring, other beta and omegas letting out other noises as they worked out. Stiles took a deep breathe and ignored the pain. 

“Ready.” 

The first punch felt like the bone was breaking all over again. Stiles tried and failed to cover up the pain. He let out a painful shriek, immediately bringing his hand to his chest. It hurt more than it had when he had punched the beta and he couldn’t stop the tears that formed in his eyes. 

“Stiles?” Derek called in worry. He quickly unstrapped his gloves and closed the distance between the two of them. Stiles tried to make himself smaller, unnoticeable but that was impossible. “What happened?” 

Stiles shook his head. “N-nothing,” his voice was thick with pain and close to tears. 

“It’s obviously not nothing, Stiles. Let me see,” Derek sounded mildly angry and it made Stiles goes tense. “I’m not going to hurt you. Just let me see your hand, please. I can smell your pain, don’t lie to me.” 

Stiles trembled gently, only calming when Derek’s hand found his way to his neck. He urged Stiles’s face up just enough for their eyes to meet. His touch eased the pain, rather dragging Stiles’s attention away from it and onto Derek’s rough textured hand that made his legs feel like jelly. The dirty part of him couldn’t help but imagine that hand cupped around his naked ass. 

“Just let me see, okay?” 

Stiles only nodded because he didn’t know how else to stop Derek. The alpha slowly unwrapped his injured hand and let out a short snarl when he examined the shaking thing. Stiles almost yanked it back before he realized it would only hurt and piss Derek off more. It was clear the injury hadn’t just happened and Derek knew that. 

“I-I’m fine.” 

“Come on,” Derek instructed softly, moving Stiles along into one of the back rooms next to his office. Stiles knew one of them was used for extra equipment and janitorial stuff but the last door was a mystery. As soon as Derek opened it, Stiles realized it was for all the idiots like him who decided to get injured. It reminded him of the nurses office at school with a small exam table, a freezer and a cabinet with medical supplies. 

“Derek,” Stile started but Derek wasn’t having it. He pointed to the exam table. Stiles sighed and hopped up, watching Derek grab the an icepack from the freezer. He walked back to Stiles and held his hand out. Trying not to hesitate, Stiles placed his hand in Derek’s and gasped as the ice touched it. 

“You gonna tell me what happened?” 

“It was no big deal. It’s fine. I’m sure it’s just residual pain. I shouldn’t have been punching anything today.” 

“It’s broken, Stiles! Or at least it was broken and then you let it heal without setting it.” 

“I-I, it’s fine. I’ll go to the nurse at school tomorrow.” 

Derek shook his head. “You’re going to tell me what happened or I’m calling your dad right now. Did someone hurt you again? Did you have to fight back? Is that what happened?” 

Stiles gaped at him in annoyance. “You’re not my keeper, Derek! You don’t get to hold this over my head.” 

Derek got real close to Stiles’s face catching the boy off guard. Stiles sucked in a breath, overwhelmed by the scent of the alpha so close to his face. He noticed the lack of control Derek had, his body shaking with anger. It should have scared him or at least worried him but it didn’t. Stiles liked seeing Derek slightly out of control, especially when it was because he was being protective. 

“D-Derek.” 

“Tell me nobody touched you. Tell me what happened,” Derek growled softly, breathing hard as he did and then added, “please.” 

“I punched someone,” Stiles admitted in a low voice, wanting to just lean in and kiss Derek. “They deserved it and I think I may have hurt my hand.” 

Derek huffed and Stiles knew he probably rolled his eyes as well. “You punched someone, huh?” 

Stiles nodded, feeling proud of himself. “Don’t be mad.” 

“I’m not.” 

The room went quiet again but Derek didn’t pull away. Instead, Stiles felt him lean closer and his breath got stuck in his throat. He didn’t dare to move, worry and hope all mixed up inside his chest. Then came the barest feeling of Derek’s scruff against Stiles’s neck and he froze. His omega howled with happiness, pushing toward the surface of his mind. It only lasted a few seconds but it happened and it left Stiles incredibly turned out and slightly slick. 

Derek Hale had just scented him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to end it there but then I thought, _eh, why not?_
> 
> Reasons behind the scent marking will be explained in the next chapter, don't freak out to much:)


	7. Chapter 7

Stiles was dreaming. He had to be dreaming because first, Derek had scented him and the next thing he knew, Derek was kissing him as well. Derek had been so close, smelled so good like lust, that Stiles had just turned his head, without thinking, and sought out his lips. He thought Derek was going to pull away but he never did. He was kissing him back. Not just softly on the neck or on the forehead like he used to. No, Derek was full on kissing him, on the mouth, with little control. Stiles was definitely dreaming. 

Except, he could taste Derek, vividly taste him and it was all sorts of beautiful and wonderful and heavenly. He tasted exactly how Stiles imagined he'd taste for so many years. Like mint and something sweet. His hands were brushing against his side, uncontrolled and with a hint of roughness. Stiles whimpered in need, feeling more slick trickle out. His omega wanted Derek to take them right there on the table but Stiles wanted to live in this moment forever. 

But then it was gone. 

It took both of them a few lingering moments to fully process what had just happened. Stiles was lost in a blissful la-la land thanks to his omega but as soon as Derek yanked himself away, reeking of guilt and anxiety, Stiles was ripped away as well. 

“Fuck,” Derek growled, stepping back further, the back of his hand pressed to his lips. “I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I did that, Stiles.” Stiles wasn't. Despite his omega whining to submit, he quite enjoyed their scents mingling together and the taste of Derek on his lips. His skin tingled where Derek had rubbed and he wished he hadn't moved away. 

“Derek,” Stiles tried to catch the alpha’s attention as he was having a minor meltdown. He shift uncomfortably on the table, grimacing when he felt the slick trickling out. He wished he just got a boner like a normal person, not a boner and an ass full of slick that was a pain to wash out of his underwear.

“What's wrong with me?” he snapped and Stiles flinched back unexpectedly. “You didn't even consent to that. It's against the fucking law!” 

The last part was true. Omega rights stated that no alpha could scent an omega without his or her permission. It was always considered taboo to scent someone who wasn't your mate. That was why Stiles's omega was flipping out inside of him. It made him hope Derek saw them as mates.

“I'm not going to tell,” Stiles whispered. “I didn't mind.” 

Derek's uncontrolled eyes flashed to Stiles's. “It wasn't like that.” 

Stiles waited to hear Derek's heart skip revealing the words to be a lie but it didn't happen. “What exactly did _ that  _ mean then?” Stiles had kissed him first but Derek hadn’t resisted. He had only pulled the omega closer to him. It had to mean something. 

Derek stopped pacing and landed just to the side of Stiles. “My wolf freaks out when he thinks of you being hurt. He always has. Even when you were just a pup. I can't control it sometimes. It's just a reaction. I've only ever wanted to keep you safe, Stiles.” 

“So, what does scenting me and then kissing me have to do with that?” Scenting was often a possession thing to alphas, to tell everyone else that they weren't allowed to touch. He could see if Derek had done it because he wanted to keep Stiles safe but the kissing was on a very different level. 

“Scenting you makes my wolf feel better. Having you smell like me just makes it easier for me to let you go out those doors alone. I've been with you your entire life, Stiles. I knew you when you were in Claudia’s belly. My wolf wants to protect you from everything that could ever hurt you. That's all it was. I'm sorry. That wasn't fair to you.” 

Stiles was unable to respond. Derek could probably smell the slick in Stiles's boxers as they spoke. This was probably as close as he was ever going to get to a love confession from Derek and it wasn't even the kind of love Stiles wanted. It was Derek telling him he wanted to protect him like a little brother. 

“You kissed me back-” 

“I know, okay? I'm sorry. I lost control and I regret it. I know you might think it meant something but it didn't, it can't. You're too young to understand.” 

Stiles gave him a puzzled expression. “I'm legally an adult, Derek. Whatever you think I won't understand is bullshit.” 

“Stiles, please just don't make this worse than it already is. I'm willing to teach you and have you hang out here but that's it.” 

Stiles heart thumped and he swallowed loudly, knowing Derek most definitely could tell he was turned on by the scenting. It made his stomach twist painfully. Derek was rejecting him and he hadn't even said anything. He was that obvious and pathetic. 

He wanted to yell at Derek for kissing him in the first place. For giving him even half a moment of hope but instead, he just really wanted to leave. His skin was beginning to sweat from his anxiety.

“I guess I should go,” Stiles mumbled, about to hop down from the exam table before Derek stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder. It was a very authoritative move but it only made Stiles want to escape faster. “Please, just let me go.” 

“Stiles, it's not that you aren't great, okay? You are, you're really great and I think you're incredibly strong but I can't be anything for you right now. I can see the way that you look at me. It's the same way you've always looked at me and I should have never let it go that far. I should have told you up front but I didn’t want to hurt you.”

_ Too late.  _

Stiles wanted to throw up. His hopes had gone up so high only to be dashed to quickly. Of course, he knew he never stood a chance but he had hoped that Derek seeing him after so long, grown into an older, more mature man would convince him otherwise but it didn't. Derek still saw him as this child. 

“Okay, I get it,” he whispered even though he didn't get it. Instead he felt like an idiot, a dumb omega who fell head over heels for an alpha who didn't want him. His omega was still clinging to the fact that Derek had smelled aroused when he had kissed him but it could have been for a number of reasons.  

They stayed quiet, awkwardly sitting in each other's presence. Derek cleared his throat and moved his weight from one foot to another. “I'm sorry I kissed you, Stiles.” 

Stiles shook his head, not giving the alpha any other response. He jumped off the table and landed on his feet. Derek tried to stop him from walking out, which confused and infuriated Stiles. He didn't care if Derek had lost control and scented him to feel better. That was no big deal in Stiles's book but kissing him and then dismissing him was. They were both broken, fine, whatever, but that gave Derek no excuse to do such a thing.

“Stiles, wait.” 

“What do you want from me?” Stiles ended up screaming without meaning to. “Are you that fucking dense, Derek? That fucking blind that you can't see what's happening? I'm an omega, you're an alpha, we have control issues sometimes but that does not warrant you kissing me back and then pretending like it didn't mean anything. You don't just kiss people that mean nothing to you. Do you kiss Olive on your off time? Is that why you're acting like this?” 

“Stiles, please-” 

“Screw you, Derek. You know why I even signed up for this? Why I even decided to join that dumb omega self defense class you've got going on? Do you know why?” he paused, not expecting an answer. “I did it because I wanted to be closer to you. I wanted you to see me,  _ me _ ! Not that kid you left behind. I was fine with you not liking me, okay? It was fine as long as I got to be here with you but if I truly didn’t mean anything to you like that, you wouldn’t have kissed me like you had! Do not blame it on control because we all know you’re the king of controlling yourself.” he huffed out, feeling the unwarranted tears start to stream down his face. Fucking omega hormones. 

“Stiles, don’t cry, please.” 

Stiles wiped the stupid tears from his cheeks and turned his back toward Derek. 

He heard the alpha sigh and step closer. “You’re not the only one who has been through things, okay? You’re not the only one who’s a little screwed up. It’s not that I don’t want to kiss you or make you smell like me every day, I just can’t.”

Stiles didn’t leave like he intended. Maybe it was the rawness in Derek’s voice or the way he teetered on the edge of breaking after his confession that made him stay.  He knew Derek was traumatized by the fire but he had a feeling that wasn’t exactly what he was talking about. Whatever it was, it was holding him back, holding him from Stiles. 

“What happened to you?” Stiles turned, asked softly, such a difference between the screaming he had been doing moments before. “What happened that you’re not telling me, Derek? I want to understand why this can’t happen again like you’re saying so please, indulge me.” 

“S-Stiles-” 

“Help me understand, Der. Because right now, I smell like you but you don’t want me so it’s kind of confusing my omega,” Stiles told him truthfully. 

“Can you sit back down?” Derek asked gently and Stiles nodded, going back to the exam table. He awkwardly adjusted himself, his boner slowly going down because of all of the angst in the air. “I haven’t told anyone what I’m about to tell you, okay? But I’m going to tell you because you deserve to know, because I want you to know.” 

Stiles nodded gingerly, slightly worried about what Derek was going to tell him. “I’m listening.” 

“You asked me if I left because of you and I lied,” Derek began and Stiles tried not to show any emotion. He didn’t want Derek to stop explaining himself. “I left for a lot of reasons and you were one of them. I didn’t want to leave you but staying wasn’t going to be good for either of us. You were too young and there was a lot of fucked up shit going on in my life that I wasn’t about to pull you into.” 

“Like what?” 

Derek closed his eyes as if he was preparing himself to tell Stiles the truth. He waited patiently, not about to push Derek into speaking. 

“The fire wasn’t an accident.” Stiles’s heart stopped. “I know they said it was an accident and we told you that it was too but it wasn’t. There was a woman, someone who I thought I was in love with at the time.” Derek was avoiding Stiles’s eyes and it was breaking his heart. Alphas hardly ever appeared weak in front of others. “Her name was Kate.” 

Stiles remembered Kate. He remembered hating the older woman because she was always touching Derek and kissing him. She was Derek’s secret from his family, an alpha like him. The only reason Stiles knew about her was because he had walked in on them in Derek’s bedroom one time by accident. That had been the only time Derek had truly yelled at him. He had avoided Derek for a week after that. 

“Did she-” Stiles choked out, afraid to hear the answer. 

Derek nodded slowly, his hands clenching into fists. Stiles wanted to cry for him. He had thought he loved someone only to have them stab him in the back in the worse, more sadistic way possible. Kate had killed his entire family and left him behind to suffer in the aftermath. 

“Why?” 

Derek shrugged. “I didn’t ask before I killed her.”

Stiles’s eyes went wide. He didn’t blame him for killing Kate after what she had done to his family but it still came as a shock when he said the words aloud. 

“But that’s why I can’t,” he explained further. “It’s not because of you, it’s because I have a very hard time trusting people and I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.” 

“I don’t think you’d hurt me.” 

“I didn’t think she’d hurt me either.” 

Stiles waited a few moments before asking, “D-do you like me? Is that what scares you so much?” 

“I don’t know, Stiles,” he replied quietly, staring down at his feet. “I know I feel something for you, something I’ve always felt for you but it scares me. After Kate, I didn’t let myself feel anything like that, I didn’t let get as close as she got and kissing you made me feel dangerously close to that line. I left so you didn’t have to deal with my screwed up life and I’m not about to drag you back into after all these years. ” 

Stiles felt his stomach flutter at Derek’s words. He was experiencing whiplash but he was entirely okay with it right now. As long as it ended with Derek not lying to him. It made him want to kiss Derek again but that would probably ruin everything. He wasn’t in the position to do that. 

“It’s okay if you can’t right now,” Stiles admitted as painful as it was. He didn’t want to push Derek, not after what he had just confessed. At least it wasn’t him, at least it wasn’t just the fact that Derek didn’t want him. “I understand but just so you know, your life doesn’t scare me. I’ve had my fair share of screwed up too.” 

“Thank you,” Derek whispered. “I’m sorry for all of this.” 

Stiles shrugged nonchalantly. “Thank you for telling me, you know. I just wanted to understand because I-I like you, Der. I’m sure that’s obvious.” He didn't admit his love because that was a little too far. “It's nice to know it might have been mutual had our shitty pasts not happened.” 

Derek smiled at the floor. 

“Can I give you a hug?” Stiles asked softly because he felt this strong urge to wrap his arms around Derek’s body and tell him how good he was. That nothing Kate did to him was his fault.

“I, uh,” Derek stuttered, looking unsure. 

Stiles smirked. “I promise I won’t kiss you again. I just want to give you a hug.” 

Derek nodded and approached him. They wrapped their arms around each other, Derek’s face in the crook of Stiles’s neck breathing him in entirely. He let out a soft noise in the back of his throat and relaxed against Stiles. 

“You’re a good person, you know? I’m really glad you came back.” 

Derek pulled back and kissed his forehead gently. There was nothing sexual about it, just a small, comforting touch. “I’m glad I came back too, Stiles. I know I can’t give you exactly what you want, not yet at least, but I’m here, I'll always be here for you.”

 

* * *

 

Derek and Stiles trained like normal after that day. It wasn't awkward or tense, none of that. It just was. Stiles had visited the doctor to get his finger reset after his dad saw the crookedness of it which pleased Derek. They didn't kiss again and Stiles felt like he went through a small withdrawal but he wanted to respect Derek's boundaries. 

After that, it seemed easier to be around each other. Stiles's omega was just happy to be around Derek and Stiles was content with it as well. He learned much more when he wasn't constantly thinking about Derek naked or kissing him. Just knowing that Derek had some sort of feeling for him made it possible for Stiles to not long as much as he did before. 

A few weeks went by dragging Stiles closer to a graduation he wasn't ready for. When he wasn't consumed by school, he was consumed by training himself. After punching that beta in the face, nobody had really said much else to them but Tyler was still there, haunting him like a bad taste in his mouth. Luckily his friends were there for him whenever he felt panicky. 

Stiles arrived at the weekly omega defense class for the fourth time in a row. Derek and Olive were always so happy to see him as were some of the other omegas he became friends with. He learned that all of them had been through things. Some of them were sexually assaulted or abused by their alphas. Others were like him, physically weak due to their biology, picked on or attacked because of that. They were all just trying to make it in a world that wasn't yet entirely accepting of them. 

That night, they were stretching, about to begin class. Derek and Olive were at the front of the class doing the same and Stiles was with an omega named Nathan in the back. Nathan had become his omega buddy during his second session. They had been partners since Olive had been out sick and stiles felt like he knew enough to keep up. Nathan was fifteen and look like a stereotypical omega. Derek told Stiles that Nathan had been coming for a few months after he was attacked on the streets by unknown alphas. They bonded just on that fact.

“We're going to practice ground defense today,” Derek announced and Stiles saw a few omegas fidget. Most, if not all of them had been held down at some point against their will but this was something they needed to learn. “If anyone is uncomfortable doing this, you are free to just watch tonight. Anyone?” 

Nobody went to move despite looking anxious. Stiles figured each of them was here for a reason and they were all understanding of each other’s triggers so they could do this together. He wasn’t exactly thrilled to be held down but he hadn’t had a nightmare in over a week so he felt pretty okay. 

“Okay, Olive and I are going to demonstrate the moves first and then we will help you guys practice them.” 

Olive started off on the ground, flat on her back, with her knees bent toward the ceiling. Derek straddled her, not putting his whole weight on her as to not crush her. 

“From this position, your attacker has the advantage,” Derek explained. “They can restrict your movement quite easily.” Derek grabbed Olive’s hands and pinned them above her head. All that she had to work with were her legs and her head. It made Stiles's stomach twist into a knot, trying not to imagine when Tyler was hovering above his helpless, beaten body. Nathan must have sensed his anxiety because he placed a reassuring hand on Stiles's knee and squeezed gently. Stiles looked over at him and returned the comfort with a reassuring smile. 

Stiles hadn't told Nathan everything that had happened but he knew the gist of it. They were the same that way. Neither wanted to necessarily talk about it but they were there for each other. 

“From this position, Olive is going to hook her foot around mine to trap it. Once she has that secured, she's going to bump and roll.” The class giggled softly at Derek's words, which made Derek roll his eyes playfully. While Derek was distracted, Olive did what must have been the “bump and roll,” catching Derek off guard and flipping him so he was the one of his back. Olive smirked at her audience, looking all too pleased with herself. 

“That would be a bump and roll folk.” 

Everyone laughed again, releasing the tension in the air. They showed them a few more techniques, all of which looked fairly doable. Stiles felt confident going into it, easily mimicking the moves with Nathan. He started off on top and Nathan successfully did the moves each time. When it was time to switch positions, Stiles let Nathan straddle his hips without any complaint, feeling at ease with another omega on top of him rather than an alpha. 

He could hear Derek giving instructions behind them. Instructing the “attackers” to place their hands on the “victims” necks in a mock choke. Nathan’s face was reassuring above his, making a fake scary face that hardly looked scary. Stiles almost laughed. 

“You okay?” Nathan asked quietly above him, checking in as Stiles had done for him. 

Stiles nodded, feeling his heart race a little faster but feeling okay. He was fine, he just needed to breathe through it. He knew Nathan wasn’t going to do anything to hurt him in this position. Nobody was Tyler in this room. He was safe. It only took him closing his eyes for the images to flood back into his head. Before he could yank himself out of it, he saw Tyler’s face instead of Nathan’s. He tried to shake the image away but it quickly consumed him. 

_ Such a little bitch,  _ Tyler’s voice mocked him.  _ Trying to act strong when you’re nothing more than a weak omega.  _ Tyler’s eyes shifted red, his canines lengthening in his mouth as it crept into a sadistic smile. His clawed hand rose in the air and even though Stiles knew he wasn’t real, he let out a scream of terror and shielded himself.

Back in reality, Nathan scrambled off his body, looking terrified. 

Stiles’s entire body trembled, shaking in fear as his heart raced inside his chest. He jerked himself up, struggling to breath. Everyone in the gym had gone silent, every single one of them staring at him with worried eyes. Stiles focused in on Nathan who looked like he had just been stabbed. 

“I-I’m sorry,” he whimpered, trying to get himself together. 

Derek was down at his side just after the words left his mouth. He didn’t touch him, hand hovering above shoulder like he wanted to touch but resisted. Stiles was too busy trying to control his breathing to hear anything he was saying. His ears were ringing and he felt utterly dizzy. It was only when Derek fully touched him, hand on his cheek, that he was pulled back once again. 

“Stiles,” Derek called softly, catching the omega’s attention. Stiles found his eyes and almost sighed in relief. There was such a comfort in them and they reeled Stiles back in carefully. 

“D-Der,” he whispered pathetically. With all the attention directed toward him, Stiles felt a panic attack coming on. He needed to get out of the room, out of all the gazing eyes. “G-get me out of here, please.” 

Derek nodded, helping him onto his feet. He kept a steadying hand on his back, guiding him away from the silent main room and into the back where his office was. Stiles reached for Derek’s free hand, needing something else to anchor him. His mind was a strange thing, a strange and cruel thing. It made him think he was fine only to drag him back into hell. 

Derek led him to a couch that was pushed against the back wall of his office. He helped Stiles sit his quaking body on one of the cushions and then knelt down in front of him. 

Stiles opened his mouth to speak only to close it, realizing he wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted to say. Apologize for freaking out over a simple move? Explain to Derek why he screamed like he was being murdered? None of them were forming into sentences. 

“Talk when you’re ready,” Derek instructed soothingly. 

Stiles nodded and hugged himself. The first tear came unexpectedly. He wanted to blame it on the panic he had just experienced, overwhelming his emotions, rather than him just needing to cry. The rest began to fall without warning as well. Derek sat down next to him on the couch and beckoned him closer. Stiles collapsed into his lap, crying into his sweats. 

“You’re okay,” he cooed. “Just a bad memory.” 

All Stiles could do was nod. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those of you who gave me prior feedback on this chapter! It helped a ton!:) Let me know what you think of this chapter, any thoughts, are you screaming? I love hearing back from you guys! Some sorta smut will be coming next chapter, sorry if some of you were expecting it soon. I couldn't find a natural way to add it. 
> 
> You are all the best!:)


	8. Chapter 8

Stiles wasn't sure how long Derek left him sob into his lap for. It felt like a while before there were no more tears to be shed and an apology on his lips. He started to pull his head up and then thought better of it because Derek was running his fingers through Stiles's hair to calm him. It was a relaxing motion that made him arch his neck just barely in a sign of submission. Momentary guilt ran through him, knowing Derek didn't want that.

“Wanna talk about it?” Derek asked quietly once he noticed Stiles's crying had ceased. “You don't have to, just if you want.”

“Just a bad memory,” Stiles replied, mimicking the words Derek had said to him. “I thought I was over this. I haven't had a nightmare in a week. I just figured I was okay. All the other positions were fine but when Nate’s hands were on my neck, I just saw the alpha who attacked me.” Stiles made sure not to say Tyler’s name aloud. He didn’t need Derek going all alpha right now.

He heard Derek sigh above him. “This isn't something you'll just get over, Stiles. I'm sorry but being physically assaulted is traumatizing and it's going to take time. You're allowed to take time to get yourself better.”

“I just want to be better, Der. I don't want to be constantly afraid to close my eyes because I'll see their faces. I don't want to live in fear just because my memory is full of terrifying images.”

“Nobody gets better in just a month. Nate has been coming here for three months and he still has panic attacks. Sofie was sexually assaulted and she can't stand for another male alpha to touch her. You're not alone, you know that? Everyone has their bad days. It's unfair that we are the ones left behind in the aftermath of what others have done to us but it's our job to be strong, for ourselves. It's our job to prove that they didn't ruin us, that they didn't succeed. That's why we're all here.”

Stiles shifted on Derek's lap so that he could see his face. “Is that why you became an omega rights activist?”

“I wanted to help give all of you a brighter future, one you deserved. I saw too many cases of abuse to be able to ignore it. I wanted to make sure _you_ got the future you deserved.”

“What about what you deserve?”

Derek looked at him, truly looked at him, for a moment. “I'm working on it. Kate left a damaged boy behind in her wake but I'm stronger than that. Whatever she did to me, I am stronger than that and you're stronger than whatever those alphas did to you.”

Stiles felt the need to cry again.

“Nobody out there is ever going to judge you for panicking or needing a break or crying, okay? They all know how it feels to be in your position. Every one of us has felt that fear that threatens to suffocate us but we'll get through it. We have each other.”

Stiles nodded and pressed his face into Derek's stomach, breathing in his calming scent. He hated to think of Derek being just as broken as him. It made him wish he had been the one to kill Kate even if he didn't know what she had done to Derek. Whatever it was, it was bad enough for him to have to shield himself from any type of deeper connection.

“Do you want to go back out there? I'll let you chill in here if you're not up to it but it's your decision.”

Stiles shook his head, removing himself from the alpha’s scent. “I should go back out there. I think I scared Nate.”

Derek helped him off the couch, pulling him into a bear hug that Stiles needed. They headed out of the office back to the open gym floor afterwards. Olive was giving instruction but got quiet when she noticed them. Stiles gave her a weak smile, the obvious puffiness under his eyes gave him away.

Nathan approached him first, a guilty look on his face. “I'm really sorry, Stiles. I should have sensed something was off.”

Stiles shook his head. “You couldn't have known. Don't apologize, please. It's not your fault.”

Nathan nodded, although still looked dejected. “Could I give you a hug?” he asked gently, waiting for the other omega's consent. Stiles couldn't help but smile and flush pink at his consideration. He held his arms open as way of saying yes. Nathan immediately hugged him, shaking slightly as he did. Stiles hated feeling him tremble so he tightened his arms and let Nathan sink into him.

A few moments later, he felt another pair of arms around them and then another. He looked up and found the group of omegas, Olive included wrapping their arms around him and Nathan. Omega on omega contact was scientifically proven to offer comfort and calmness. As their bodies enveloped each other, Nathan and Stiles in the middle of the huddle, Stiles couldn’t help but understand why Derek had urged this class so much.

He felt safe.

* * *

A few days later, on a Sunday morning after a late night shift working at the diner, Stiles woke up with slick running down his thighs. He panicked for a brief moment, scrambling toward his bottle of suppressants thinking he forgot them. It dawned on him a few seconds later that he was slick because he had been dreaming about Derek. Not just innocent dreams like he normally had. In this one, he had been grinding on Derek, whimpering and begging him to touch him. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him for having that type of dream in the first place but there was no denying his arousal. His cock was hard and his hole was wet and needy. There was no way he was going to leave his bedroom without taking care of himself first.

He shucked off his bottoms, grimacing in disgust at how wet they had become. He hadn’t seen Derek since that night at the gym and although, he was perfectly capable of going a few days without him, he liked seeing him. That only made his urge to relieve himself stronger. The images flooded into his head just as he took his cock in his hand.

In his dream, Derek had been hard. It had started off with just kissing but it quickly turned into more than that. Stiles had begun to pant and grind himself against Derek’s hardness, whining gently. Thinking back on it, Stiles blushed at how desperate he had been even if it was just a dream. Derek had allowed him to roll his hips as much as he wanted, the two of them slowly getting each other off through their clothes.

In reality, Stiles clumsily grabbed for his lube, graciously applying it to his palm. He had to bite his lip to keep the noises from escaping once he touched himself again. It felt so good after weeks of nothing. Schools and training had distracted him and the suppressants made it so he wasn’t always so horny. That was one of the many downsides of them.

Stiles’s hole clenched uselessly, finding nothing to tighten around. He wanted to touch himself there, sink a couple of fingers inside because he knew it was better. Statistically, omegas achieved orgasms faster through anal touch but Stiles had always tried to resist it, feeling like it made him weaker as an omega. But lately, Stiles was feeling more connected to his omega, slowly accepting that part of him and right now, both parts of him were craving that touch.

Carefully, he eased his fingers toward his hole, circling gently to get himself used to the touch. There was no need for lube considering how wet he already was. It was almost embarrassing how slick Dream Derek made him. Slowly, he pressed one digit inside of himself, feeling his muscles clench around the sudden intrusion. He gasped, rolling his head against the pillow next to him to stop the small moans that began to escape his lips as he started moving his finger.

He let his eyes close, allowing himself to imagine Derek above him. Two fingers were a little harder to get inside but once he did, Stiles couldn’t stifle his moan. His fingers weren’t necessarily thick like he wanted but imagining they were Derek’s made them feel way better. They were just long enough to touch his prostate which sent his hips thrusting up and his other hand scrambling for his neglected cock.

“Derek,” he whimpered without meaning to when he thrusted his two fingers in hard. He spread his legs, resisting the urge to present himself as he fingered his hole. That wasn’t something he was comfortable with yet. “Oh God, yes!”

Somehow, he worked a third inside which stretched him perfectly. It was hard for him to imagine anything bigger in him but then he remembered Derek was an alpha and even if his cock wasn’t much larger, his knot would be. With that thought, his own cock dripped precum, sliding down the head and joining the lube in his hand.

Stiles knew he was getting close to his finish as the speed of both of his hands picked up. He imagined Derek kissing up and down his neck, pressing his fingers deeper to brush against the omega’s prostate. Every part of his body felt tight with pleasure, on the brink of exploding in an orgasm. Stiles didn’t want it to be over so quickly; he wanted to remain in his fantasy but he really needed to come.

At the very last second as his entire body was tensing, Stiles hooked his fingers inside of him and tugged down like a knot. The orgasm that washed through him was pure bliss, his hole milking the invisible cock, desperately riding out the tail end of it. He stuffed his face into the pillow as he spilled onto his stomach, crying out in delight. As his body cooled down, he languidly pumped his fingers in and out of his sensitive hole, shivering under his own touch. It took a few more minutes before his heart rate slowed and he could get up.

From his room, he could smell bacon overpowering the scent of arousal and sex. His dad never made breakfast, which automatically made Stiles suspicious. He quickly showered to wash the come off his stomach. It did little for the scent he carried but that would wear off in an hour or so and he was pretty sure his dad knew what he did early in the morning in his bedroom.

Stiles exited his room after changing into a clean pair of sweats and a semi-clean t-shirt. In the hallway, the smell of breakfast was even stronger and made his mouth salivate. He paused after a single step, hearing another voice another than his dad’s in the kitchen. His heart stopped, seizing in his chest when he recognized whose voice it was. He wanted to dig a hole and hide in it the second he realized Derek Hale was in his kitchen and had probably heard.

Unfortunately, before Stiles could run back into his bedroom, he heard his dad call out his name. “Breakfast is gettin’ cold, Stiles!”

Stiles grimaced, rushing back into his bedroom to spray the special scent blocker he was given for Christmas by his dad. He rarely used it, usually the suppressants did their jobs but this seemed like a good time to douse himself in it. Hoping for the best, he left his room and walked into the kitchen where Derek and his dad sat with a cup of coffee.

“Morning,” he greeted quietly, waving to Derek.

“Hey, Stiles.”

His cheeks automatically flushed pink at the way Derek looked at him as he greeted him. There was no way he hadn’t heard him crying out his name as he fucked himself and came all over his stomach. Derek knew Stiles liked him but there was a difference between a cute crush and a crush Stiles fingered himself to.

“Want some coffee, kiddo?”

Stiles nodded eagerly, happy to have something to do with his hands and his mouth so he didn't say something stupid.

He sat across Derek while his dad poured his coffee and stirred the eggs. “I wasn't aware you could cook, Dad.”

His dad gave him an unamused look and Derek chuckled lowly under his breath. “Don’t test me kid or you’re not getting any bacon.” He knew Stiles loved bacon almost more than life. The threat was a valid one. “I thought I’d make Derek breakfast as a thank you for everything he’s done.”

Stiles’s eyes flickered up to Derek, sipping on the black coffee his dad put in front of him.

“He’s been telling me how much better you’ve been doing lately. I’m glad someone actually updates me on how you’re doing since you don’t.” Stiles threw a fake smile at his dad’s bitterness. Neither of them were much of talkers.

“I’m lucky to have him, John. I love watching people progress and learn. It's why I started the gym in the first place.”

Derek tapped his foot underneath the table, smiling coyly at him. Stiles smiled back, lifting his mug up to his face to hide his expression. His omega was going crazy, still slightly horny from his private time. Derek being in his home was only making him more lustful. Thank God for the scent blocker.

“Why don't we eat and talk?” his dad suggested, grabbing the plates. Stiles and Derek rose from their seats to serve themselves. Derek allowed Stiles to go before him. Stiles ended up serving Derek a plate before the alpha could protest. He caught his dad smiling at them as he did.

“Thank you,” Derek whispered, brushing close to Stiles's face. He pulled away, realizing how close he was, adding “sorry.”

Stiles shook his head. “No need for that.”

They sat and eat their food, talking about this and that. Stiles forgot all about his embarrassment earlier that morning and just enjoyed the company. It was weird seeing Derek outside of the gym but he enjoyed it more than he wanted to admit.

Stiles's dad got a call at the end of the meal calling him into the station. He apologized but didn't have any other choice. Being the sheriff was demanding and if they needed him, he was always there. That left Stiles and Derek alone in the house.

“Do you wanna watch a movie or something, Der? I mean, if you have to go back to work, that's totally fine. Just a suggestion, you know?” Stiles rambled unsure of himself. They had been alone together before but being in his house was different.

Derek grinned, probably laughing at Stiles's awkwardness. “I would love to watch a movie with you, Stiles. How about you pick out a movie and I'll wash the plates and then we can sit down and watch it.”

Stiles nodded, heart warming at the thought. He helped Derek move the plates to the sink before returning to the living room to pick out a movie. He went with the classic _Star Wars_ pick although he didn't pay attention to which episode. Derek entered the room a few minutes later and plopped down next to Stiles. They sat close but not enough to touch and it made Stiles physically ache.

The movie started on the screen and Stiles twitched and fidgeted. Derek was so close but Stiles didn't want to invade his space. He had been honest enough to share part of what happened to him with Stiles. He trusted Stiles and Stiles didn't want to break that trust but his omega was mewling and scratching at the surface for a touch.

Derek glanced over at him a few times, noticing the way he moved uncomfortably on the couch. It took him a couple minutes more to catch onto why Stiles was moving the way he was. Stiles caught him pursing his lips, shifting himself as well.

“You wanna come over here?” Derek asked, staring at the screen as he did. “I don't mind.”

It took Stiles half a second to practically climb into Derek's lap. The alpha sighed softly, wrapping his arm around Stiles. Stiles shivered at the touch, laying his head on Derek's shoulder.

“S’okay?” Stiles asked, making sure he wasn't making Derek uncomfortable.

“Yeah, this is good.”

Content, Stiles was able to watch the rest of the movie in peace. Coincidentally since Derek didn’t have to work and Stiles had picked the first episode of _Star Wars_ in the correct order, they decided to watch another. His dad had texted and said he was going to be stuck at the station for a while longer. Stiles wasn’t exactly upset about it as long as Derek was beside him. The alpha held him close for the remainder of the second film and part way into the third before Stiles readjusted himself and laid across Derek’s lap, yawning. He didn’t mean to but he ended up falling asleep before the third movie could end.

He woke up to Derek shaking him gently. “Hey pup.” Stiles blinked up at him, having not heard him call him pup for years. He used to hate it when Derek referred to him as a pup, thought he was poking fun at him for being younger but when he said it now, he wasn’t teasing, he was just being sweet.

“I’m gonna move you to your bed, okay?” Stiles yawned and blinked again, wanting to slip back into sleep. His eyes focused and unfocused on the clock and slowly realized it was nighttime.

“My dad?” Stiles croaked with sleepiness.

“Stayed late at the station. Said he’ll be home late tonight.”

Stiles nodded lazily, his head lolling into Derek’s stomach. He felt Derek shift out from underneath him, drawing out a small whine from Stiles’s throat. Derek shushed him quietly, quickly back by his side. He lifted him from the couch, into his arms. Stiles nuzzled closer, too tired to care.

The next thing Stiles knew, he felt his mattress underneath his back. He sighed at the softness of his pillow behind his head but once Derek’s hands left his body, he whimpered.

“Stay,” Stiles mumbled, reaching for Derek’s hand. “P-please don’t leave me alone.”

Derek didn’t say anything but he didn’t step away either. “I’ll stay until your dad gets home, hmm? I’ll sit on the couch,”

Stiles shook his head, refusing to let go. “Bed, please.” His tired body craved the alpha still, seeking out the comfort he offered. Derek stepped away and Stiles’s heart sank as he opened his eyes and found him gone. A few seconds later, the opposite side of the bed dipped and Stiles rolled over almost frantically. Derek had slid underneath the cover beside Stiles and looked at him in the dark.

Stiles stared back, sleepily scooting closer. “You’re really gorgeous, Der.” Stiles had zero filter when he was tired. “Thanks for hanging out with me today.”

Derek smiled in the darkness of the room. “Anytime, Stiles. I like hanging out with you.”

Stiles reached up, touching Derek’s scruff gently. He had memorized his face so many time when they were younger but since then, the structure of his face had changed. His jawline had become more pronounced and chiseled. The frown lines by his lips had gotten worse but the glisten in his eyes made up for it. There was also some sort of hope in those green eyes even in the darkness.

“Thank you for coming home,” Stiles whispered, edging closer until parts of their bodies were touching. “Thank you for coming back to me.”

Before either of them could say anything more, Derek’s lips were on Stiles’s. The omega immediately went pliant in the alpha’s arms, submitting to the kiss like he was melting into Derek. It was so much better the second time around. There was nothing rushed about it or rough. Derek’s lips were soft and light on his just like Stiles wanted them to be.

One of them pulled back for air a few seconds later, resting their foreheads against each other.

“Just slow, okay? I need to go slow,” Derek murmured against his skin. There was enough emotion in his voice for even Stiles’s tired brain to understand.

“I can do slow,” Stiles replied honestly.

“Just wanna taste you,” the alpha moaned gently. “Missed you, your taste, your mouth. Heard you this morning, calling my name."

Stiles blushed, feeling his cheeks head up. "S-sorry."

"No," Derek whispered. "Don't be sorry. I want you too. Just slow." He kissed Stiles again, his tongue licking Stiles's bottom lip in an attempt to get the omega to surrender under his touch. Stiles moaned shamelessly and opened under his alpha’s caressing mouth. Their hands roamed, never going too far past each other’s comfort. Stiles was becoming hard again as was Derek but neither of them really seemed to care. All either of them could do was kiss and feel each other and occasionally whisper the word _slow_ over and over again.

Slow was perfectly fine with Stiles because Derek was touching him, kissing him and that was all he ever needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh the fluff in this chapter made me so happy to write <3 Let me know your thoughts, love hearing from you guys!:)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, a huge THANK YOU to everyone who responded to the last question I posted. So many of you responded that I didn't get to respond to everyone but know that I am super thankful for your help! I was not expecting that many responses. You were all so helpful and enthusiastic. As I said before, you will see all three scenes at some point within the next few chapters so if the scene you wanted isn't here, it will be soon. All of the comments motivated the shit out of me and I managed to write 5000 words, woo! It turned out a little more angsty than I expected but there's some fluff and cuteness. Anyway, let me know how you all feel about this chapter:)

Things were slow in all parts of Stiles’s life. School was in the middle of the semester, senioritis being the only thing setting in quickly. Even work was slowly down, cutting back on his hours. Suppressants were already hard enough to pay for as is so every penny counted. Derek and Stiles’s relationship, although he wasn’t sure he could call it that, was slow as well. Stiles didn’t mind because Derek kissed him goodnight every time he was at the gym and always lingered. There were times when he scented him, always with permission but that was as far as they ever went. Derek had been broken in ways Stiles didn’t even know so it was understandable. As long as the alpha didn’t leave him again, he was content.

Stiles was paused in front of a flyer for the lacrosse team tryouts. Scott and Isaac stood next to him, oblivious to the longing in Stiles's chest. He wasn't much of an athlete, that much was obvious but he wished he could join. After the humiliation of sophomore year, he gave up. But it was senior year and he was feeling strong for once in his life. He didn't want Tyler to dictate his life.

“I'm going to try out for the lacrosse team again,” Stiles announced without warning. Scott and Isaac stopped mid conversation and stared at him.

Isaac laughed like he didn't believe him. “Yeah right, Stiles.”

“I'm not kidding,” Stiles retorted in annoyance.

“Okay?” Scott replied awkwardly. “You sure about that?”

Stiles stood his ground and nodded. “I want to try again.” He knew his friends were looking at him like he was a lunatic but he didn't care. Lacrosse was something he always wanted to do and even if he failed again, at least he tried despite what Tyler had done the first time.

“But last time-” Isaac started to speak again, a worried look etched into his voice.

“I know,” Stiles replied, trying to keep the angry tone out of his voice. “I don’t care, okay?”

Isaac gave him a sympathetic look. The beta never had to face inequality. He was the equal of both genders and Stiles never thought that was fair. It made Stiles wish he had never presented in the first place, just went on with his life like it was no big deal. Tyler would have never looked at him twice, he wouldn’t have to buy expensive suppressants to hide that part of himself and he sure as hell would have made the lacrosse team the first time around. None of that mattered. He was an omega and he was still going to try out for the lacrosse team.

“If you really want to try out again, then we’re trying out with you,” Scott said confidently with a grin.

“Why would you do that?” Stiles asked quietly. “You’re going to make the team anyway.” It was hard to keep the sadness out of his voice. If it weren’t for him, Scott would have made the team their sophomore year but being friends with the omega and then sticking up for said omega when he doesn’t make the team was frowned upon by the team captain.

Scott frowned. “Because we’re going we’re all going to make the team and show Tyler what he’s been missing for the past two seasons.”

“You guys are probably going to make the team but there’s no guarantee about me.”

“They’ve been vying for me since sophomore year, Stiles, but the only way I’m ever joining that team is if you’re by my side. So we’re going to try out for that team together and show them what we’ve got. If they don’t want you, they can’t have me either.”

“Or me,” Isaac replied as well.

Stiles’s body felt warm and fuzzy. The way they all presented might have not been entirely fair but his best friends were always by his side despite it.

“Thanks guys,” he answered softly, feeling the need to hug each of them but resisting because they were in the middle of a crowded hallway. “You don’t have to do that, you know?”

“We don’t have to do anything, we know but we want to. Tyler’s an asshole who needs to be put into his place. He’s not the only alpha at this school and he doesn’t get a say-so in what everyone else does.”

Stiles smiled. “Okay, let’s join the lacrosse team!”

Tryouts were rough, more so than Stiles remembered, which he found ironic considering for the past month, he had been training his ass off with Derek. He figured the coach was going hard on everyone by Tyler’s request since the alpha kept whispering in his ear before the coach screamed out another drill. The look on Tyler’s face when Stiles walked out onto the field was totally worth it.

The last drill of the tryouts, after Stiles was sticky with sweat and felt like his muscles were screaming out at him, was to test their ability to score. All of the players lined up behind each other and faced the goalie. Stiles lined up in between Scott and Isaac, Isaac in front and Scott behind. His heart was thumping frantically in his chest, mainly from the exertion but also because Tyler stepped up to defend the goal. Stiles was gonna have to get passed him before he could even think about reaching the goal. This had been the moment Tyler slammed him into the ground the previous time.

“You okay?” Scott asked gently, scenting the distress in the air. He must have remembered what happened last time too considering he was the one who had helped Stiles off the ground and into the locker room before he had a breakdown in front of everyone.

“I'm good,” Stiles mumbled, eyeing Tyler through the slits of his helmet. He couldn't be fearful around Tyler, couldn't let it show. He was determined to not have a repeat of sophomore year. This time, he was going to get passed Tyler.

“You've got this,” Isaac whispered over his shoulder. The words sent comfort through Stiles’s body. Derek had taught him to not fear what he couldn’t control but rather focus on the things he could. He could get passed Tyler and reach the goal, he just needed to be smarter than the alpha.

The first few people in the lineup went forward, some getting passed Tyler and other failing. Isaac went up next, just barely making it passed Tyler’s advances, which worried Stiles greatly. He desperately wanted to switch places with everyone else in the line and pretend like he hadn’t decided to try out in the first place but Tyler’s eyes were dead set on Stiles.

Stiles stepped up, balancing the lacrosse stick in his hand. The ball rolled around slightly in the net and then stilled. Tyler’s eyes flashed red underneath the helmet, although nobody seemed to see except for Stiles. He let out a shuddering breath, letting his grip on the stick loosen slightly.

“Come on, Stilinski,” Tyler taunted and it sent a wave of anger through Stiles’s body.

“You’ve got this, Stiles,” Scott encouraged behind him as the coach blew the whistle. Stiles surged forward doing his best predict Tyler’s movements. The alpha bounced around on his feet, not indicating which direction he was going until Stiles was right on top of him. His heart was beating like crazy just as Tyler’s lacrosse stick went up to block Stiles’s movement. Stiles could tell he was about to knock Stiles down, use the stick or his foot to trip the omega as he did last time but Stiles was prepared. He might have been clumsy and awkward before but Derek’s training had taught him to be light on his feet, expect sudden movements and go with them. When Tyler swung, Stiles twisted his body and spun past him, right to the goal. Before Tyler could react, Stiles threw the ball passed the goalkeeper and straight into the net.

For a moment, he was in complete shock, arm still raised in the air like an idiot. Scott shouted behind him along with Isaac off on the side. Stiles turned on his heels, feeling like he was floating. He had done it. He had gotten passed Tyler and managed to score, two impossible things in his mind. The only thing that pulled him back from his lala land was Tyler’s growl.

“Looks like omega’s can play lacrosse,” Stiles retorted without thinking. He immediately regretted the words but there was enough gratification from the words to ignore the panic that threatened to rise.

“Nice job, Stilinski, now get off my field,” Coach yelled and Stiles scurried away to where Isaac stood. The beta slapped his back proudly, throwing him an enthusiastic smile. Stiles couldn’t stop smiling even once everyone else was done.

“Alright, second string’s names will be called first,” Coach announced as everyone crowded around to hear their names. Five first string players would be picked and five second strings as well. The rest who tried out weren’t going to make the team and Stiles worried he was going to be part of that team.

The coach rattled off multiple names, each who grabbed their second string jersey’s. He called out four names and paused at the fifth, looking over at Tyler. Tyler nodded but didn’t say anything. Coach shrugged without much interest.

“Isaac Lahey,” he called and Stiles’s mouth dropped.

Isaac didn’t miss a beat, grabbing the jersey with a nod. Stiles wanted to say something but he didn’t know what. Maybe Isaac was supposed to be on second strong because they had too many good players to keep on first. Maybe Stiles wasn’t even going to be on the team at all. He had gotten passed Tyler but that didn’t automatically put him on the team. Tyler had a say-so in who got placed on first string and he probably hated Stiles enough to not even include him on the team.

Coach went on to list off the first string players. Scott being the first one. Stiles was proud of him but he knew if his own name wasn’t called, Scott was going to hand the jersey back and walk off the field again. Stiles wasn’t going to let him this time, even if he name wasn’t called. Scott deserved this. He deserved to do something for himself without having to stick up for Stiles.

“And lastly, Stiles Stilinski.”

Stiles went wide-eyed, wondering if he had heard wrong or imagined his name but Scott was nudging him forward. He numbly grabbed the jersey, stumbling back into his spot next to Isaac and Scott. Tyler’s eyes were trained on him, emotionless and hard. Scott and Isaac were congratulating him but as much as Stiles wanted to make it on the team, he was curious why he had. Obviously Tyler had some plan or else he wouldn’t have let him join.

That was the scariest thought Stiles had all day.

 

* * *

 

Once the momentary terror subsided, Stiles was ecstatic. Scott, Lydia and  Isaac brought him out for ice cream once tryouts were over but Stiles only had one person on his mind. He wanted to see Derek. He wanted to tell him the good news and have him kiss him again after the long weekend. His friends released him after a couple of hours of hanging out, knowing exactly where he wanted to go. Although Stiles hadn’t explicitly told any of them, they all seemed to know.

Stiles entered the gym and found it quiet, which was fairly odd considering how busy it normally was on a daily basis. Olive was practicing on a punching bag, sweat dripping down her forehead. She stopped momentarily to wave as she always did. Stiles waved back, reminding himself to tell her the good news before he left. He wanted Derek to be the first to know.

“Hey, Derek's in his office with Nate,” Olive shouted as Stiles headed that way. He stopped once Olive mentioned Nate. “He wasn't expecting you until a little later but he should be done by now.”

“Thanks, Olive.” She waved him off and Stiles continued. He knew Nathan was part of Derek's group long before he came around but he wasn't aware they had private sessions like he and Derek did.

Stiles knocked on the door when he arrived and waited until Derek called him in.

“Hey,” he greeted quietly. Derek got up and hugged him, although he didn't kiss him, leaving Stiles disappointed.

“Hi, Nate.”

“Hi,” the other omega responded, giving a wave. “We’re almost done if you're here for your lessons.”

“No rush. Our session isn’t until later anyway. I just came with some exciting news.”

Derek smiled softly, returning to his seat. “What is it?”

“I tried out for the lacrosse team again and,” Stiles did a short drum roll on Derek's desk, “I made the team!”

Derek's eyes went wide with surprise. “Stiles, that's great! I'm so proud of you!”

Stiles grinned happily.

“That's awesome,” Nathan commented. “I've always wanted to play lacrosse!” Seeing the younger omega so excited made Stiles happy. Nathan was like a cute little puppy that Stiles wanted to keep warm and safe.

“Thanks,” Stiles replied boastfully. “I have Derek to thank for it.”

“Hardly,” Derek answered, “I just gave you the gloves and showed you how to punch. That has zero to do with lacrosse.”

Stiles rolled his eyes playfully. “Take a compliment, you sourwolf.”

“D-do you want maybe go out for ice cream to celebrate?” Nathan asked, sounding unsure of himself. Stiles did just have ice cream but the omega was trying to be nice and he just had to say yes.

“Yeah, Nate! That would be great.”

Derek made a noise behind him and Stiles turned, eyebrow raised in question. “We have your lesson tonight, remember?”

“At six,” he responded without pause. “I think I can manage to get some ice cream in two hours.”

Derek's expression flashed a bit of jealousy for a brief moment before going back to a neutral look. Stiles gave him a bewildered stare. Derek couldn't seriously be jealous of Nathan, could he? Stiles had zero interest in the kid and if Derek seriously thought that, something was wrong with his head.

“Is that okay?” Nathan asked and Stiles nodded, although he wasn't sure the question was directed at him to begin with.

“Nate, remember you don't have to ask,” Derek replied softly. “Nobody will tell you what you can and cannot do here.”

Nathan nodded quickly, looking slightly ill. Stiles didn't question it.

“I'll meet you outside in a second, okay?” Stiles replied, giving Nathan an out before he started to question the bitter scent coming off of Derek.

Nathan nodded and exited the room. Stiles walked closer to Derek's chair and tilted his head softly.

“What's up with the jealousy, Der?”

The alpha blinked. “I'm not jealous.”

“You suck at hiding your scent, you always have. Don't lie to me, please. Nate’s just a friend, that's all. You have nothing to worry about. It's not like I kiss him in the parking lot every time I leave, right? That's your job.”

Derek stood from his chair and thankfully, between the two, there wasn't much height difference. “I'm sorry. I'm not jealous of Nate. I just missed you.”

Stiles wanted to tell him that he was most definitely jealous but he didn't want to annoy Derek. “I missed you too but I'll be back in an hour or two. We're just getting some ice cream to celebrate. I'm sure he'd be cool with you coming along if you wanted.”

Derek shook his head. “I've got too much work. As much as Olive rocks at her job, I'm not ready to leave her to tend to this place on her own.”

Stiles laughed. “I can bring some back?”

It was Derek's turn to laugh. “I mean, if you feel so inclined, rocky road is my favorite.”

Stiles scoffed. “I know that, Derek Hale! It's been your favorite since like birth. I was the one who always brought you some when you were sick in bed.”

Derek smirked, leaning down the small inch between them and kissed Stiles. Kissing Derek never got old. He liked how the older man tasted and felt against his mouth. It was nice to be kissed so gently and sweetly like Derek did.

“You taste like ice cream,” Derek mumbled, pulling back.

Stiles giggled. “Scott, Lydia and Isaac brought me out for some after tryouts. I couldn't bring myself to say no to Nathan. I mean, he's just so sweet!”

Another spike of jealousy washed over Derek's body and made Stiles grin slightly against the alpha’s lips. “He's fifteen, Derek. Don't go all brooding, possessive alpha on me.”

Derek kissed him again, a little harder but still gentle. “I want to take you out somewhere to celebrate too.”

“I thought we were going slow?”

“I think a date would be fine, Stiles. Only if you're up for it.”

As much as it made Stiles's stomach flutter seeing Derek get worked up over his ice cream date with Nathan, he felt a little bad too. Stiles had been jealous of Olive when they first met so it wasn't like he was the innocent one in this game. Derek wanted to take another job, whether he was motivated by Nathan or not, Stiles was going to take advantage of it.

“This weekend?” Stiles asked, wrapping his arms around his jealous alpha.

Derek nodded against the crown of his head. “Yeah, this weekend would be nice.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Stiles whispered. “I'll be back in an hour or so, okay?”

Derek kissed his forehead before peeling himself away. “See you soon.”

Stiles had a hard time leaving the room but Nathan was waiting for him. He knew Derek didn't like him going with Nathan, as harmless as it was. Whether it was the alpha part or the insecure part of him, Stiles didn't want to fuel the fire.

When he got outside, the omega was waiting patiently on the bench. He jumped up when Stiles approached.

“Ready to go?”

Nathan gave him a smile and a nodded.

“Okay, let's go get some ice cream!”

 

* * *

 

Nathan was quiet the entire ride to the ice cream shop. Stiles picked one closer to the gym opposed to the same one he had just been at less than an hour prior. They both ordered their own ice cream and paid for their own as well. It most definitely was not some sort of date like Derek was thinking.

“So,” Stiles spoke up, breaking through the silence once they sat down, “you like lacrosse?”

Nathan nodded eagerly, shoveling a scoop of his mint chocolate chip into his mouth. “My big brother used to play when he was in high school. I wanted to try out but I guess I missed the deadline to tryout at my school.”

“There's always next year,” Stiles suggested. “I didn't make it my first year but look at me now.”

Nathan chuckled. “Can I ask you something?”

Stiles shrugged. “Go for it.”

“A-are you and Derek a thing?” he asked the question quickly, sounding nervous and quiet. Stiles could smell the distress on the younger omega after the words left his mouth.

“I-I,” Stiles began, realizing he didn't know the answer to the question. They weren't together in boyfriend terms nor were they necessarily a thing. Stiles wasn't sure what they were other than taking things slow. “I don't know, Nate. I've know him for years but I don't really have an answer to that question. Why do you ask?”

Nathan played with his ice cream, not speaking for a few moments. “I was just curious because he seems to like you and he smells like you whenever I seem him.”

Stiles ducked his head as a blush crawled across his cheeks. He liked the idea of Derek smelling like him. It made his omega happy and creep toward the surface.

“I like him,” Stiles responded truthfully. “I think he likes me but I'm not sure if we're a thing or something like that. Have you ever experienced that?”

Nathan shook his head. “I've never dated anyone before. All the alphas at my school respect omegas but they're still teenagers who just want to get into my pants. I can't afford suppressants either so it's hard.”

“I'm sorry, Nate. I know things can seem tough right now but you have people who are here for you. I'm here for you.”

Nathan smiled, looking a little emotional. Stiles knew how it felt to understand that other people were there for him. The omega self defense class really helped him with that. Nathan helped him with that and he would always be thankful for that. He wasn't completely okay yet, parts of him were still broken but just in the past month, things had gotten better.

“Thanks, Stiles.”

They finished their ice cream together, talking about things other than their traumatic pasts and such. Stiles liked talking to him. He was the omega friend he had never gotten to have. They related on a level Derek and he couldn't. Nathan understood the struggles omegas still had to deal with.

Stiles now understood why Derek was jealous. The alpha probably feared Stiles getting close to Nathan and feeling more connected to him. Of course it was a possibility but Derek and Stiles had years on top of their new friendship and Stiles had just gotten Derek back.

“You wanna go for a walk?” Stiles asked once they were both content and full of sugar.

“Sure.”

“I just have to get Derek some ice cream before we leave. Mind waiting for a second?”

Nathan shook his head nonchalantly.

Stiles ordered Derek's ice cream, rocky road like he requested and then ushered the omega outside into the fresh air. They walked down the row of shops, looking in through windows and pointing different things out.

It wasn't until they walked toward an alley that Stiles recognized the sharp, bitter scent of panic and distress. He stopped, noticing that Nathan had stopped as well, eyes wide in fear. The omega’s breathing had gone shallow and harsh and his face had gone pale.

“Nate?” Stiles called softly. He knew the symptoms by heart considering he experienced them more often than not in the past month. Nathan was on the edge of a panic attack. Stiles placed the ice cream down on the windowsill and approach the boy cautiously.

“Nate, it's just us here,” he urged, trying to bring him back. “Talk to me. What's wrong? You're safe.”

Nathan shook his head. “I-it happened right here,” he choked out, trembled violently. “They just attacked me.”

Stiles's eyes went wide when he understood. Nathan had been attacked in an alleyway on his way home but a group of drunk alphas. He hadn't done anything to provoke them or even insight their interest, he had just been a weak target.

“Okay, okay,” Stiles cooed. “Let's get you out of here, okay? Nobody is going to hurt you while I'm here.” He placed a hand on the omega’s back, gently pushing him forward away from the dark alley. Nathan was on the verge of tears, quickly tucking himself away underneath Stiles's arm.

“P-please,” the younger omega begged quietly, possibly stuck in a memory. Stiles just needed to get him away from where they were. It was strange to be the one comforting opposed to the one needing the comfort.

“I've got you, Nate. You're okay.”

Stiles found a quiet place for them to sit, far away from the alley that triggered Nathan's memory. He sat the omega down, gently rubbing circles into his back. Nathan had begun to cry softly, wetting Stiles's t-shirt, not that he cared too much. Derek had been right when he had said every one of them had their own issues.

“I'm sorry,” he muttered, muffled by Stiles's shirt. “I should have told you to stop when we got too close. I thought it would have been okay.”

“Don't apologize,” Stiles replied softly. “You should have said something but it's okay. You thought you could handle it just like I thought I could handle a certain position in class. It's fine to test yourself every now and then but the second you feel panicked, you need to let someone know.”

Nathan nodded in understanding. “Thank you, Stiles. I'm really glad I met you.”

Stiles smiled slightly and held Nathan until the omega calmed down. It was getting close to six already and Stiles didn't want to miss his session with Derek but he wasn't about to abandon Nathan when he was like this.

“Come on, I'll drop you off at your house, okay?”

Nathan nodded again and stood with Stiles's support. He managed to get the other omega into his jeep, only breaking contact to go around to the other side. He knew from experience that touch, especially from another omega, eased stress and panic almost immediately. Despite the sweet smell among the bitterness in the air that Stiles desperately tried to ignore, he held onto Nathan's hand until they got to his house.

“You want to talk about it?” Stiles asked just as he parked outside Nathan's house. He understood why the omega couldn't pay for suppressants.

Nathan shook his head. “Can you just-”

“What?”

“Can you hold my hand a little longer?”

“Of course, Nate.”

Stiles watch the clock flip to 6:00 p.m just as he grabbed the omega's hand again.

 

* * *

 

Stiles was late but he had every right to be late in his mind. Nathan needed him and he was there for him. However, he could tell that wasn't what Derek was thinking when he walked into his office late and without his ice cream.

“Shit,” Stiles cursed once he realized he was empty handed. “I totally got you some, I swear but Nate had a panic attack and I put it down.”

Derek shook his head. “It's fine, it's fine.”

“You don't seem like it's fine.”

Derek just closed his eyes, hand smothering his face. “You smell like him.”

_Oh._

“I'm trying to control myself here, Stiles. I'm not a possessive, brooding alpha who gets pissed about this stuff.”

“I know that,” Stiles reassured.

“But it's really hard not to be when you smell like another person’s arousal,” he bite the last word out.

“Der, it wasn't like that. I know you're not like this either so please cut it out. You can't be jealous over something that's not even there. I like you, only you.”

Derek nodded. “I need to scent you.”

“Okay,” Stiles agreed quietly. “I'll let you scent me but you need to calm down first. Nothing is going on between me and Nathan, alright? Listen to my heart; I'm telling the truth.”

“It's beating really fast,” Derek commented, looking pained. “I'm scaring you.”

Stiles barked out a laugh. “It always beats fast when you're around, Der and it's never been because I'm scared of you.”

Derek stood again. “Will you let me?”

Stiles nodded, his omega preening happily at the idea of his alpha showing such interest in them. He liked them enough to be jealous. His omega liked the slightly possessive side of Derek, Stiles, not as much. Derek needed to either explain his intentions or understand Stiles's side.

“I'm sorry,” Derek murmured as he pulled Stiles closer, mouthing at his neck. “Alphas can be dumbasses sometimes.”

Stiles giggled and arched his neck slightly to give Derek better access. The alpha rubbed his check against Stiles's neck and face, spreading his scent around. His knees began to go weak as they did whenever Derek scented him.

“Y-you're either going to need to sit me down or hold me up,” he whispered with a nervous laugh. Derek kissed his neck and and led him over the couch, lying him down. Most of Derek's body weight was kept off the omega but Stiles enjoyed the small amount that was pressed against him.

“Sorry I forgot your ice cream,” Stiles spoke softly.

Derek chuckled, “I'll just have to taste you.”

Stiles shivered and moaned. “Jesus, Der.”

Derek took Stiles's lips in his mouth, tasting him like he said. Stiles openly moaned, his hand going into the alpha's hair. His hips bucked upward without his own consent and sent a thrilling wave of pleasure through his body.

“Uh,” Derek sputtered and Stiles realized this was so not “going slow.”

“Sorry,” he whispered, easing his hips back down despite feeling Derek's hardened cock against his own. Slow and steady was key.

It took a few minutes for Derek to be satisfied with how Stiles smelled before he pulled away. He switched their positions so that Stiles could lay on his chest and not be worried about being crushed under the alpha's weight.

“I think we should skip my lesson today, turn off the lights and take a nap,” Stiles suggested. His body hurt after lacrosse tryouts and he was really liking this whole lying on Derek's chest thing.

Derek kissed Stiles's neck again and made a noise in agreement.

“Der?” Stiles asked after a couple of moments. “What are we?”

“What do you mean?”

“Nathan just asked if we were a thing today,” Derek growled slightly, “simmer down there alpha. He just wanted to know and I didn't really have an answer. I know we're taking it slow but is that all we are?”

Derek ran his hand through Stiles's hair in a soft, comforting way. “We are whatever we want us to be, Stiles.”

“What do you want us to be?”

Derek pauses and then answered, “I would like to take you on a date first.”

Stiles grinned. “That sounds good.”

“I also want you to be my boyfriend at some point too, if you're willing.”

That made Stiles's heart thump faster and harder. Yeah, because Derek's boyfriend was all he had ever wanted.

“That sounds like plan,” he whispered back, resting his head on Derek's chest. He could hear the alpha’s heart in this position, beating just as fast as his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PS. I tried to offer up some smut but most of you wanted nothing to do with it so soon in their relationship which I totally understand! There will be some smut next chapter (by smut I mean some touching and exploration, not full on sex) and there will be a Sterek date, yay!:)
> 
> PSS. This fic just hit 1000 kudos! You guys are the best!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas lovelies! Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate! Or Merry Sunday for the rest of you who don't celebrate! This is my gift to all of you. Thank you for supporting this story each and every chapter. I love sharing it with you guys! 
> 
> I'm an angst queen so here's some angst and feels with some smut thrown in:)

The first lacrosse party was coming up and Stiles was just now realizing he had nobody to go with. Everyone on the team was either going with someone or going in a group. Isaac had asked a beta named Lacy to go with him so that left Stiles and Scott like always. The unfortunate thing was, Scott was almost failing one of his classes, which meant if he didn’t pass his midterm, he wasn’t going to be graduating. That also meant no lacrosse party for Scott. And then there was one. Stiles wasn’t even sure he wanted to go.

Scott convinced him that he had to go. He couldn’t miss the first lacrosse party just because Scott wasn’t going. Part of him knew Tyler had something planned for him by letting him onto the team. He knew that by not attending the party, he was going to become an easier target for Tyler and his friends so Scott was right, he had to go. But he wasn’t going to go alone.

“Stiles?” Derek answered immediately, sounding worried. Stiles had never called him before so hearing his voice for the first time gave him chills. It held the same authority and deepness as it did in person but somehow, it sounded different. He liked hearing Derek's voice in all forms. It made him pause without meaning to. “Stiles? Are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, yup, I'm fine.” Stiles was pretty sure he heard Derek sighed in relief on the other line.

There was a dragged out silence before Derek spoke again.  “What's up?”

“Oh right,” Stiles said with an awkward laugh. “Uh, I was just wondering if you were busy at the moment?”

There was a pause. “Not necessarily, why? What's going on?”

“Well, there's this stupid lacrosse party,” Stiles explained, “and Scott was supposed to go with me but he has to study and I thought since we haven’t gone on a date yet, you might wanna go with me to this stupid thing just so I'm not alone?” Stiles wasn't sure any of that made sense but he waited quietly anyway.

“Yeah, uh,” Derek began and Stiles's heart faltered at the uninterested.

“I mean, you don't have to. It's just a stupid thing. I know it's not a real date or anything so you can say no. I'll just go alone or ask someone else or stay home, I guess.”

“No!” Derek responded abruptly. “Shit, I'm sorry, I'm just distracted with paperwork. I would love to go with you, Stiles. I don't care if it's not a real date. I'll take you out to dinner afterwards if you're up for it. You know I just like to spent time with you.”

Stiles smiled at the ceiling again. “You sure?”

“100 percent. I’d rather you not go to a party alone, to be honest.”

“Okay,” Stiles whispered back softly, “sounds good.”

“I'll pick you up, okay? What time does it start?”

“In about an hour,” Stiles replied guiltily. “I would have called earlier but I was planning on going alone.”

Derek chuckled. “Okay, hmm. You know what? I'm going to let Olive handle things on her own. She's capable.”

“You really don't have to, Der. I know you have work and stuff. I'll be fine going alone. Just wanted to see you.”

“I'm coming to get you. She'll be fine on her own, I trust her. Plus, I want to see you too. It's been a whole twenty-four hours.”

Stiles laughed at that. “Shut up and come get me.”

“I'll see you in a little bit.”

 

* * *

 

Stiles was suddenly nervous as Derek pulled up to the party. It was the first time he and Derek had been anywhere outside the gym or Stiles's house and it felt weirdly exhilarating. He imagined it felt weird for Derek too considering he had known Stiles since he was just a pup and now he was going on a “date” to a party with him. The only worry Stiles had was Tyler. He didn’t want Tyler to do anything around Derek because he was pretty Derek wouldn’t hold himself back if he did.

“You okay?” Derek asked calmly, squeezing the omega's hand in comfort. Just his voice alone was enough to calm Stiles but he appreciated the additional gesture.

“Yeah, I don't know, just nervous.”

Derek smiled softly. “Don't be. I'm here with you, okay? Nobody is going to say anything to you while I'm with you. Hell, if they ever seen your fighting skills, they'll never wanna say a word to you.”

“Yeah right,” he huffed. “I'm still a sack of potatoes.”

“Hey,” Derek commanded his attention, “a sack of potatoes can still hurt like a bitch when used correctly.”

Stiles rolled his eyes but leaned over the kiss the alpha softly on the lips. He moaned slightly when Derek parted his own lips and urged him to do the same. It was bliss among other things and it calmed all of the nerves in his body. He would have been content just sitting in Derek's car like this forever, but alas, there was a party waiting for them inside.

He pulled back too soon and left Stiles needy and wanting more. “A-are the people that hurt you going to be inside?” he asked, obviously trying to keep a calm demeanor but clearly failing.

Stiles gulped and stared at the dashboard. “It doesn't matter.”

“It does,” Derek growled softly. “It does matter, Stiles.”

“They're going to be in there, okay? But it's fine. They haven't done anything in awhile.”

Derek nodded and squeezed Stiles's hand again. “Okay, let's go.”

The second they stepped inside the house, Stiles automatically wanted to turn back. The music was blaring, louder than it had been outside the house. It smelled like weed and smoke among other things and there were way too many people. Stiles held onto Derek’s hand harder than he intended. The alpha turned toward him and pulled his body a little closer.

“Let’s go get something to drink,” Derek shouted over the music and guided Stiles over to the kitchen. The music was drowned out a little more in that room and there were far less people so Stiles could finally breathe. Derek grabbed Stiles a water bottle and handed it to him.

“What? No alcohol for me?” Stiles pouted.

“Considering I’m the only one who can legally drink at this party, I’m going to go with a solid no.”

Stiles laughed and took a sip of his water. “I’m sorry for dragging you to this. It must be weird to be at a high school party. I just didn’t want to go alone and Scott wouldn’t stop bugging me about going.”

Derek shook his head. “You never have to apologize for that, Stiles. I’m here on my own free will. I went to my fair share of high school parties at your age. It’s not a big deal.”

“I just wanted to show them that I’m part of this team even if it was a joke or something like that.”

Derek’s eyes hardened. “They put you on the team as a joke?”

“No,” Stiles answered and that realized he really didn’t know. “I don’t know why they picked me for first string but they did. I’m happy about it but I can’t help but feel like there some secret reason behind it.”

“When’s your first game?”

“Next week,” Stiles replied.

Derek nodded. “Show them that you are meant to be on the team. Don’t let them get under your skin, okay?”

“Hmm, easier said than done,” Stiles muttered.

“I know,” Derek replied quietly.

“Will you come to my game?”

“Yeah,” he answered, stepping closer, “I'll be there for every single one of them if you want.” His body was pressed against Stiles's, kissing his neck gently. “I have the urge to scent you right now.”

Stiles shivered. “I-I would let you but it's probably not advisable in a room full of people.” What Stiles meant was, he didn't not need to deal with a boner and slick running down his thighs in the middle of a party and that was almost always how their scentings ended.

Derek chuckled. “How about we go socialize so I can stop thinking about how badly I want to see your legs tremble.”

Stiles gasped and then giggled. “Derek!”

“Come on.”

They met up with Isaac and his date. Derek spoke so easily with people Stiles's age. He just fit in better than Stiles ever did and he wasn't even their age. It made Stiles in tad bit jealous, thinking of how well Derek had fit in when he was in high school. Stiles had just been the awkward little pup who tried too hard to get Derek's attention only to fail. And now he was sitting on the couch with him, holding his hand. It was surreal and hard to believe.

After his second bottle of water, Stiles couldn't hold his bladder any longer. He excused himself, Derek too occupied with his conversation with Isaac to really notice. Stiles wandered through the house, attempting to find the bathroom. He dodged way too many drunk, touchy people before he finally found the bathroom. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth as he closed the door.

After he peed, he stood in front of the mirror and looked at himself. Dangerous thoughts were beginning to circulate through his head but he pushed them down. There was no need for that tonight. He just needed to return to Derek and suggest they leave. His stomach was growling in hunger anyway.

When he opened the door, he hadn't expected another face to be on the other side. He jumped in surprise and then felt his blood go cold.

“Stilinski,” Tyler slurred, clearly drunk. “I'm surprised you came.”

Stiles made a move to get out of Tyler's way but the alpha stepped in front of him, blocking his way out.

“No, no, I want to talk to you. Don't be rude.”

“Move, Tyler,” Stiles said, keeping his voice steady.

“I saw you brought your little boyfriend with you tonight. Why's he with someone like you? I'm sure he could do so much better.”

Stiles's hands clenched into fists.

“Maybe you're just a pity fuck,” Tyler suggested. “A piece of ass for him to put his hands on until he can find someone better.”

Stiles willed himself to stay calm.

“I mean, look at you, the only reason you made it on the lacrosse team was because your friend played the pity card on Coach.” Stiles's eyes must have gone wide because Tyler laughed. “Come on, you didn't think you made it based on your skills, right?”

He felt sick and cold and all the dangerous thoughts were flowing into his head without pause. He needed to get out, he needed air.

Tyler's hand fell on Stiles's shoulder. “Sorry, omega but it's the truth. Now, hurry on back to your little alpha before he realizes you're nothing better than a weak omega.”

Stiles pushed through just as Tyler made room for him and stumbled out of the bathroom. His breathing was ragged and harsh, filling his ears with the sound along with Tyler's laughing echoing in the back of his head. His vision was blurring and all he could do was stumble and try to breathe, feeling like he was drugged but knowing it was just him being pathetic and weak.

“Dude, you okay?” someone asked as Stiles stumbled past them. He didn't stop to find out who it was.

Air. He needed air. Scott had convinced the coach to put him on the team. It hadn't been because Stiles was good. His best friend bribed his way onto the lacrosse team and didn't tell him. Maybe Stiles was nothing more than a weak omega. Derek would realize that soon and find someone else.

He was outside finally, not entirely sure how he made it but thankful for the cool air hitting his overheated skin. A hand grabbed his forearm and caused him to panic and yank away.

“D-don't touch me!”

“Hey, it’s me. It's just me. Stiles, look at me.” His mind recognized the voice but he couldn't focus. “Come on, baby. Control your breathing, it's okay.”

Stiles couldn't. He couldn't do it. Everything he had managed to hold back was crashing down into him like a wave. He was drowning, unable to find the top. It wasn't until Stiles caught Derek's scent, so close to his face that his breathing began to calm. The alpha had Stiles's face tucked near his scent glands so that every breath he took was filled with comfort and safety.

“There you go,” Derek cooed. “Just breathe.”

Stiles had gone weak under Derek's touch and felt his legs give out from underneath him. Derek scooped him up into his arms, his nose still pressed into Derek's neck.

“I've got you,” Derek whispered. “You're safe.”

Stiles felt sleepy, exhausted from his panic attack and drowsy from the scent of his alpha. He closed his eyes, lulled to sleep by the gentle rock of Derek's arms as he walked and then by the gentle noise of Derek's car.

 

* * *

 

When Stiles woke up, his heart was back to its normal speed, his vision back to normal and the scent of Derek almost overwhelming his senses. He moaned sleepily and curled up against the pillow his head was on that smelled deeply of Derek. The memory of his panic attack was coming back as was his consciousness. He wanted to slip back into unconsciousness again but he was more curious about where he was.

He slowly blinked his eyes open and was greeted by a dark room, dimly lit by the light from the moon. Stiles slowly rolled onto his side and found an unfamiliar place in his view. It smelled like Derek but Stiles had never been here before. His heart seized momentarily until Derek stepped into his view.

“Hey,” he whispered quietly, coming over to kneel at the side of the bed. “How are you doing?”

Stiles yawned and moved closer to Derek. “‘M good. Where are we?”

“My loft.”

“Oh,” Stiles answered.

“I thought you might feel safer here,” Derek commented, sounding unsure. “My scent seemed to calm you down.”

“Thank you.”

Derek smiled softly. “What happened? You scared the shit out of me.”

Stiles shook his head. “Tyler, the guy who attacked me, well one of them, was outside the bathroom when I walked out. He just caught me off guard and said some stuff.”

“Did he hurt you?”

Stiles shook his head. “He's good at verbally abusing me. He told me that Scott made the coach put me on the lacrosse team because I wasn't good enough. He also said some stuff about you not wanting me and how you were going to find someone else as soon as you realized how weak I was.”

Derek's face softened. “Stiles.”

“I know, I don't know why I had such a bad panic attack.” _Because you love him more than you want to admit out loud and the idea of him leaving you again terrifies you._ “I haven't had one that bad since my mom died.”

“It's okay. You can't control them. But I'm not going to leave you, Stiles. I mean, I just got you back.” Stiles sighed and Derek cupped his cheek.

“I just got _you_ back,” Stiles corrected.

“Even more reason for me to not leave you. I have to make up for all the time I missed.”

“C-can you lay down with me for a little bit?”

Derek nodded and slipped under the covers as Stiles moved over. He spooned the omega's body, pressing his lips to Stiles's skin.

“I'm glad I don't know who this Tyler guy is because if I had seen him, I probably would have killed him.”

Stiles laughed. “No prison, Der.”

“For you, I wouldn't mind.”

“Hmm, does my dad know I'm here?”

“Yeah, I texted him.”

“Thanks. Sorry for a shitty first date. I think we're gonna have to do a redo at some point to make up for this.”

“It's not over yet.”

Stiles's eyebrows creased in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“It's still a date until the night is over. How about I make us some pancakes? I owe you some dinner and I happen to know you love breakfast for dinner.”

Stiles arched his head back and grinned, feeling a blush creep over his cheeks. “I'd love some pancakes.”

So that's what they did.

 

* * *

 

Somehow the two of them ended up back in Derek's bed after finding themselves in a food coma. Stiles was incredibly content and happy as he lied there, facing Derek. The night hadn't been a complete bust.

“Thanks for that,” Stiles whispered, placing a short kiss to Derek's nose.

“Mhmm.”

“How’d you remember I liked pancakes so much?” He loved pancakes more than any other breakfast food item but nobody really knew that about him. It wasn’t something he advertised too much.

“I remember a lot of stuff about you, Stiles. We grew up together. I know you almost too well.”

Stiles smiled, remembering them growing up together. Derek had always been gentle and sweet despite being older and wiser. He hadn’t minded Stiles’s childish antics. He also had never minded making Stiles pancakes whenever the small pup wanted some. And Derek made some of the best pancakes.

“I remember a lot about you too, Der.”

Derek brushed a hand over Stiles’s cheek and went down to his neck, cupping him there. “Like what? What do you remember about me?”

“That you smelled like pine needles and wood. Anytime I was around you, you made me feel safe. I remember wanting to punch every girl in the face whenever they spoke to you even though you never noticed me.”

Derek chuckled. “You were just a pup.”

“I know that now but back then, I was truly offended by the lack of attention,” Stiles responded with a grin. “I thought you were ignoring me because I was annoying you or something. When you left, I thought you left because of me.”

“No,” the alpha whispered, “never you.”

“Will you scent me now?” Stiles questioned in a small voice. They hadn't gone further than scenting in a few weeks and Stiles was okay with that but still wanted Derek to scent him every chance he got.

Derek didn't hesitate, gently tugging on the back of Stiles's neck to bring him closer. He rubbed his cheek against Stiles's neck, tickling him slightly. He moaned quietly as Derek rubbed his scent in more. His hands were roaming, sliding under the omega's shirt, causing Stiles to shiver. Stiles allowed his own hands to move over Derek's skin, feeling the taut muscles underneath.

Slick started to drip out of Stiles's hole, wetting the back of his boxers and the inside of his thighs. Honestly, just Derek's touch could make him all hot and bothered within seconds. He had zero control when it came to the alpha, especially as he was spreading his scent all of his body.

“Der,” he whimpered, wanting his scent in other places. He wanted his mouth in other places too but he wasn't brave enough to say that. “W-wanna touch you.”

Derek growled softly, not hesitating to answer, “Touch me.”

Stiles listened to the command, bringing his lips to the alpha’s and letting his hands roam further than intended. He could feel Derek getting hard against his thigh. They were both getting hard and although they could usually ignore it, Stiles didn't want to ignore it this time. He wanted to go further. He craved the alpha’s touch and he was dying to see him lose control and come.

Without really thinking, Stiles straddled Derek's hips, pressing their clothed lengths together. The pressure send a wave of tingling pleasure through Stiles’s body and made Derek gasped sharply, eyes wide in shock. Stiles didn't know where his confidence was coming from but he was being driven by pure pleasure.

“This,” he shuddered, “okay?”

It took him a moment to respond, swallowing roughly before nodding, “Yeah, yeah, keep going.”

Stiles grinded his hips down, pushing their hips together again. Even through their clothes, it felt like heaven. He wanted to come and feel Derek come beneath him.

“Der, Der,” he panted, balancing himself with his hands on Derek's shoulders. “Please.”

Derek's hands found their way to Stiles's hips, pressing them deeper and harder against his own. “Right there,” he groaned, “right there, baby."

 _Baby._ Derek had called him that earlier for the first time. He made Stiles flush and his belly full with butterflies. 

The two of them were heated messes, Stiles leaking slick, which had made it through his boxers and jeans. Derek didn't seem to mind the wetness. Once Derek took control of Stiles's hips, the omega collapsed against his chest, letting him grind his hips in an upward fashion. He could hear Derek's panting in his ear with the occasional growl.

 _Slow,_ Stiles kept thinking to himself. They needed to go slow but everything was heightened right now. Derek’s scent was heady and impossible to ignore. He couldn’t see either of them stopping. It was okay. It wasn’t going too far. They both still had their clothes on for pete’s sake. So Stiles let himself go, let Derek press their cocks together through their jeans, let him flip them so that Stiles was underneath his body. The new angle made him whimper and spread his legs wider.

“Pants,” Stiles whined, “want them off.”

Derek gazed upon him, a look full of heat and lust. The alpha had his pants off in record time, probably shredding them as he wrestled himself out of them. Stiles had a harder time, having to lift his hips to slip them off. Derek helped, tugging them the rest of the way off and tossing them to the side where his were.

Their boxers were the only thing in between their leaking cocks and as much as Stiles wanted those gone too. It was too soon for that. He was content with just having Derek grind against him.

“Derek?” he whimpered and canted his hips up.

“Yeah, baby?”

“You feel so good. Oh God, you feel so fucking good!”  

Derek hummed in reply, pressing harder into Stiles. The omega squeaked, feeling his hole leak more slick. He worried about Derek’s sheets but couldn’t find the words to warn him. He was too consumed by the electric feeling running up his cock every time Derek rubbed them against each other.

“I’m close,” Derek groaned, panting heavily. Stiles nodded, feeling his orgasm fast approaching as well. He took Derek’s lips in his mouth and kissed him, ignoring the persistent need to breathe. “Want you to come with me.”

Stiles whined, hooking his legs around Derek’s waist to deepen the thrusts the alpha was applying. He could feel the knot growing at the base of Derek’s cock, probably driving him insane. Stiles’s omega wished it was inside of him, locking them together just as Derek came. Part of Stiles wished for that as well.

“S-Stiles,” Derek croaked, resting his forehead against the omega’s.

“Let go,” Stiles urged, feeling Derek come underdone above him,

Derek let out a final grunt and came, clutching onto Stiles’s neck with one hand and the other on his hip, pressing them together to add more pressure. Stiles followed behind soon after, locking up as he came in his boxers. His hole clenched seeking something to milk but being given nothing. Stiles should have felt disappointment in that but the only thing he could concentrate on was the throbbing, amazing feeling he felt as he came. Derek kissed his neck, his hot breath fanning the omega’s neck as they both came down from their highs.

Minutes passed before either of them calmed down, trembling from the aftermath. Derek flopped onto his side, dragging Stiles closer as he did. Stiles felt the urge to curl up against Derek's chest and just stay. He felt safe and sated afterwards, closer to the alpha in an intimate way.

“See,” Derek whispered, running his hand up and down Stiles's side, “it wasn't a shitty date.”

Stiles laughed, his body shaking on top of Derek's. “Best first date ever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know how you're feeling about this chapter:) This is a good step in the right direction for the two of them and maybe the end to all of this slow burn ~~maybe, maybe not:)~~


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Few notes before you read the chapter:  
> -This chapter is about Derek's rut (some of you wanted to see that so here you go:))  
> -This chapter is in Derek's POV (you're welcome)  
> -There is a reference what Derek went through with Kate, mostly found in the dream sequence marked by italics. If you are easily triggered by anything involving Kate, please skip the dream. 
> 
> Enjoy the chapter, leave your thoughts and comments below:)

Derek woke up feeling hot and completely out of it. His skin was sticky with sweat and his hips were painfully grinding against his mattress. If those weren't clear signs themselves, it was the claws slicing through his sheets, the fangs his teeth had become, the deep growl that resonated from his chest. 

His rut. 

Ruts happened every three months for alphas, totaling out to four ruts a year. They weren't nearly as energy consuming as heats were so really Derek had no room to complain but they were still rough on him. Since they didn’t happen as often as heats, ruts were incredibly hard to control. If Derek didn't stick his cock into something like his wolf wanted, he would risk losing control of himself. He struggled with that each and every rut but usually, he could keep it underwraps. Most of his rut was spent in bed, tossing and turning in between jerking himself off. He had toys, a fleshlight in particular, that he knew he was supposed to use but sometimes he was stubborn, not wanting to give in. He hadn't spent a rut with another person in a couple of years. 

Groaning, Derek rolled onto his back, his hand palming at his aching cock. He was still in the early stages so he had time; he was able to ignore it for a couple more hours at most with a cold shower if he wanted. So he sat there for a few minutes, taking long deep breathes, kneading himself gently through his boxers. It was hard to resist the urge to reach through the slit and take himself in his hand. 

He growled and pushed himself off the bed. He hated his ruts, especially when he spent them alone. Breakfast was in order first before he could even think about touching himself. Food needed to be in his system or else when his heat got bad so he wouldn’t pass out from exhaustion and lack of nutrition. Biology was a bitch.

Derek lifted himself onto his feet, ignoring the throbbing feeling in his boxers. Touching himself so soon was only going to trigger the rest of his heat and he wasn't ready. He found himself under the cool stream of water beating down on his body. A soft moan left his lips, partially relieved by the cold and because his knot was beginning to go down. 

Derek couldn't help but close his eyes and lean against the shower wall. Everything in his loft still smelled faintly of Stiles, his bed containing the strongest of all the scents. He had washed the sheets since Stiles's visit but the smell of slick and come still stuck heavily on them. Derek resisted the urge to wander back to the bed and bury his face in the pillow Stiles used. He'd have plenty of time to come to the memory of Stiles later when he felt like he was going to be sick if he didn't fuck something. 

Sometime later, he managed to coax himself out of the shower. His senses were heightened and all the nerves in his body were alive and buzzing. He shuffled over to the kitchen and pulled out a bowl and a box of cereal. He hadn't realized how shaking his hands were until he reached out to grab the milk and nearly dropped it. 

“Fuck,” he growled unhappily. He hated how weak his ruts made him feel. If he had a mate or spent his ruts with an omega, he wouldn't have felt so shitty but he was fine spending it alone. He had been manipulated enough times to rather deal with the discomfort and constant masturbation than have someone to help him through it. He couldn't ever ask Stiles something like that. 

Once he got something into his stomach so at least he could stop shaking so damn much, he convinced himself to call Olive despite the frustrating need to rut against his sheets. There was no way Derek could show up at work in this condition. Far too many omegas who were terrified of alphas or at risk for rut-triggered heats. It would have been incredibly dangerous and unprofessional. 

“What’s up?” Olive greeted over the phone as she always did. 

“I-I” Derek stuttered, having trouble speaking as the rut began to increase by the minute. His peak wouldn’t be until later that day but up until that point, the restless feeling was going to be persistent. He wasn’t sure he was going to be able to resist using the fleshlight this time around. His last rut had been hard on his body. “I’m not feeling too good, Olive. You can either open the gym or keep it closed for the day. I don’t mind but I can’t come in.” 

“Oh,” she said, sounding mildly confused. “Are you okay? I can totally run the gym by myself so don’t worry about it.” 

Derek didn’t want to explain his rut to Olive. She was an omega that had heat days off so she never had to have an awkward conversation with him about it. He didn’t want to scar her with the dirty details of what he was going to spend his day doing. He wasn’t necessarily lying either; he  _ wasn’t _ feeling good. 

“Yeah, probably just a bug I picked up. I should be good by tomorrow.” 

“Okay! Just text me if you need anything! I'll take care of everything here.” 

“Thank you, Olive. You're the best.” 

Olive made a noise of agreement. “I know, what would you do without me?” she joked and made Derek crack a smile. “Feel better, Der!” 

Once the call ended, Derek let out a groan. The need was setting in much faster than it usually did and it was becoming harder to resist. He stumbled over to his bed, barely getting his boxers off before his claws extended from his fingernails. Being cautious, he slowly wrapped his clawed hand around his heated length. Suddenly thankful for his lack of neighbors, Derek cried out, the cry turning into a groan and then a growl as he began to pump himself. He fumbled through his bedside drawer with his free hand, seeking out the bottle of lube he kept there for his ruts. 

His rut had never hit him so quickly before; he knew he was in for it this time.

 

* * *

 

Derek had alternated between jerking off and passing out from exhaustion for the past few hours. His cock was raw, his hand was sore and aching and his sheets looked like a brothel. He hadn’t even peaked yet, expecting it to happen near sundown as it usually did. Part of him was desperate to find out why his rut hit so damn hard but the other part couldn’t bear the thought of letting go of his cock no matter how raw it had become. His body was drenched in sweat and semen making him feel absolutely disgusted with himself but he had no energy to move to the shower. 

At least his rut was only a day. That was his only saving grace. He couldn’t imagine how some omegas with horrible heats managed. Stiles was on suppressants and while that pissed Derek’s wolf off, Derek was thankful for him. He didn’t want to imagine Stiles going through something like this, sweating and on the edge of crying constantly because he couldn’t feel full from just his own fingers. Derek’s knot inflated at that thought, picturing Stiles coming on his own fingers as they pumped in and out of his slicked up hole. That final image made Derek come with a raspy growl, hips jerking upward at the power of his orgasm. 

He collapsed onto the bed, moaning softly. He promptly fell asleep again in the mess of sheets and come on his back. Sleep was the best thing he ever felt especially during a rut. Just momentarily, he could feel the tension being released from his body, he didn’t have to feel his knot begging for attention. It was just peaceful and he wanted to stay unconscious until his rut was over but that wasn’t what his body wanted. 

_ What felt like a few seconds later, Derek was ripped out of his sleep by a knock on the door. His eyes sprung open, red seeping into them as his claws sank into the sheets again. His senses were on high alert and he could smell the person on the other side of the door. His wolf wanted to rip the sliding door from the hinges, drag the omega inside and sink his knot inside of him.  _

_ Derek sat up, trembling down to the bone, terrified of the thought he just had. He wasn’t like that. First of all, it was illegal in just about every way and all alphas had more control than that even during bad ruts. The ones who claimed they didn’t were sick in the head. Omegas weren’t pieces of meat and Derek hated himself for even thinking that they were for a moment.  _

_ “G-go,” Derek growled, nearly sobbing in pain and disgust, “away!”  _

_ “Derek?” Stiles’s voice called from the other side of the steel door. “Der? Are you okay? Open the door, please.”  _

_ “Stiles, go away!” he growled, this time with a little more power. “I’m fine, just go home!”  _

_ “You didn’t show up for our session,” Stiles remarked. “Olive told me you called out sick and I thought I’d come check on you.”  _

_ Fuck, how had he forgotten about their training session? _

_ “I’m not feeling good, Stiles. I’ll be fine in the morning. Just go home, okay? I’ll call you later.”  _

_ There was a long silence and Derek thought Stiles might have actually listened to him for once in his life. Unfortunately, Stiles was just as stubborn as he was.  _

_ “Der, I can smell you,” Stiles answered quietly.  _

_ Derek’s chest contracted. “N-no,” he whispered.  _

_ “Let me help you, Der. It’s okay.”  _

_ Derek crawled over to the door, beckoned by Stiles’s sweet scent. Even through the suppressants, he could smell it and it made him feel marginally better. He leaned against the steel door, gasping at the coolness against his cheek. He wanted to open the door and let the omega in just so he could bury his face in Stiles’s neck but he feared losing control.  _

_ “I-I can’t,” Derek groaned feeling his knot slowly inflating at the base of his cock.  _

_ “Derek, let me in,” Stiles called again in a sweeter tone than normal. “Let me in, sweetheart.”  _

_ Derek’s skin turned to ice. It wasn’t Stiles’s voice anymore. His voice was changing into something sickly and taunting.  _

_ Sweetheart, open the door. Let me take care of you. You know you want it, Der.  _

_ Derek gasped and crawled back away from the door, his vision going in and out, panic creeping into his chest. Kate was dead, he had killed her. She couldn’t be outside his loft. Kate was dead.  _

_ “Oh Derbear,” she said with a purr. “Open up. Let me take care of that little knot of yours.”  _

_ Derek shook his head, trying to get her voice out of it. She wasn’t really there. He knew that but he couldn’t wrestle with the voice. There was a loud bang on the door and then the steel rattled. Again and again it happened and Derek couldn’t stop it.  _

_ “Let me in, Derek!” Kate growled, using her alpha voice on him. Technically, it had no effect but she had used it on him enough times for him to be scared anytime he heard it. “Open the fucking door! You know you want me!”  _

_ “Stop it!” Derek screamed. He was back in his younger body, when Kate had lured him in with her charm and taken advantage of him. He had been weak back then, too young and in love to pay attention to any of the signs. She had abused him, manipulated him and used him. Derek hadn’t even seen it as abuse. He thought Kate loved him. When she rode him during his ruts but wouldn’t let him come until she said, he thought it was love. When she left him cold and shivering on his bed after milking him dry, he thought it was love. Because Kate had told him over and over again that it was love. She brainwashed him into believing all the pain he went through was her love.  _

_ “Derek!”  _

_ Derek was sobbing, his body wracked with tears, eyes shut in pain and fear. He may have seemed like a mighty alpha to all of the people at the gym but he was far from it. He was just like them, desperate and alone and terrified to ever say the truth out loud.  _

_ When his eyes opened again, Kate was looming over him, eyes a dangerous red, canines lengthened into fangs. Derek was back on his bed, unable to move as she tilted her head and smiled wickedly down at him. Her clawed hand danced down his chest, going lower and lower.  _

_ “I’ll make you feel better, Der. Just lie there and I’ll make it go away.”  _

_ Derek screamed as her claws came down against his chest, tearing through his skin in one fluid motion.  _

“Derek!” Stiles’s face was above his whenever he opened his eyes again, panicked and wild. “Derek, it’s okay! Hey, it’s okay! It was just a dream. Look at me,” he instructed. “I’m right here. It was a dream.” 

Derek’s entire body was trembling in Stiles’s arms. Tears wet his cheeks and his whole body was burning up. Stiles was holding him, his head in the omega’s lap, a hand gently stroking through his hair. 

“A-are,” Derek croaked, his voice ragged and raw from screaming and crying. “Are you really here?” He reached up to touch Stiles’s face, praying he was real. If it was another dream, he wanted to wake up right now despite Stiles’s hand feeling so good. 

“Yeah, I’m here,” Stiles whispered. “You just had a bad dream. You’re burning up, Der. Why didn’t you call me?” 

Derek suddenly remembered why he hadn’t called Stiles and tried to push himself away. “R-r-rut.” 

Stiles held on a little harder, knowing if Derek really needed to escape, he’d have the strength to do it. “Hey, rut or not, you should have called me. Your brain is going to melt if we don’t get your temperature down soon.” 

Derek shook his head. “Trigger heat,” he growled. “Go.” 

Stiles laughed softly, carding his fingers through Derek hair again. “I’m on suppressants, Derek. Your rut isn’t going to trigger anything.” 

Derek shuddered and nuzzled into Stiles’s thigh. “How'd you get in?”

“Your door was open,” Stiles answered immediately. “You should probably lock that next time, just saying. I heard you while you were dreaming and freaked out. I didn’t mean to like break in but I was worried. You weren’t at the gym and you wouldn’t respond to my texts.” 

Derek grumbled unhappily. He could only imagine how worried Stiles had been. He would have been worried himself if their positions had been switched. The omega had walked in on him screaming, completely naked on come covered sheets and he didn’t even seem to care. Stiles wasn’t saying a word about how pathetic Derek was for coming so many times or taunting him with endless crude remarks. To say the least, Derek didn’t know how to react. 

“Come on, Sourwolf. I need to get you into the shower and get your temperature down. No wondering you were having such a bad dream. You were probably hallucinating. I heard that some alphas have vivid hallucinations during ruts if they aren’t properly taken care of.”

Derek blinked tiredly at Stiles wondering how he knew that. 

“I’ll take care of you afterwards, okay?” He slipped out from behind Derek and the alpha let out a whimper at the loss of contact. Just being near Stiles was making the rut feel less like it was consuming him. 

“Y-you should go,” Derek tried again. Just because Stiles was offering to help didn’t mean he needed to accept it. He still feared losing control despite the fact that Stiles made him feel more relaxed than he had ever felt during a rut. 

“Not happening,” Stiles responded. “You were screaming and crying, Der. I’m not going to make you explain yourself right now but I’m not leaving. We’re not going to do anything; I’m just going to make sure you get through this in one piece.” 

“It’s never been like this before,” Derek whined. “But you make me feel better.”

Stiles beamed for a moment before saying, “Doesn’t matter. It is what it is and we’re going to get through it. Now, do you have any toys or something? In health class, they always told us that alphas need something for their,” Stiles paused, flushing a little, “for their knots if they weren’t with a partner.” 

“I don’t need a toy,” Derek snarled. “I’m fine, just go home.” 

Stiles gave him an unhappy look. “You’re not fine, Derek. Your temperature is going down a little but you are most definitely not fine. A toy will help so stop being stubborn and tell me if you have one or not.” 

It took Derek a moment but he finally caved knowing that he was going to need it when he peaked in just a little bit. A hand was not going to be enough to satisfy him. He pointed a finger down, directing Stiles to the box underneath the bed. The omega gave him a pleased looked and retrieved the box, opening it. There were only four things in the box but Stiles stared at them like he had just unlocked a box of wonders. 

He pulled out the fleshlight, one that his knot could catch in to give him maximum pleasure. Derek felt his entire body turn pink when Stiles pulled out the prostate vibrator. Those kind of toys were usually saved for omegas in heat or omegas in general but Derek had bought one on a whim a few months back. Stiles didn’t make a comment about it, placing it with the other toy. There was also a vibrating wand with an attachment for his cock that he hadn’t used in a few ruts. 

“Okay,” Stiles whispered. “I’m going to get you showered and clean and take these sheets off the bed. Then, we can,” Stiles bit his lips, “get through the rest of this rut. No more hallucinations or bad dream, okay? I’m here.” 

Derek laughed dryly without meaning to. “Why are you staying? Aren’t you worried I might lose control or something?” 

Stiles didn’t respond, dragging Derek to his feet. The alpha winced at the blanket that had been kind of covering his hard cock dropped away and exposed him fully to Stiles. The omega’s eyes dropped for a moment, taking him in, before shifting back up. He gave Derek a smile and offered his hand. 

“Let’s go get you cleaned up.” 

Stiles helped Derek wash all the sweat and come from his body, never lingering in one place for too long. Even when Derek rumbled and growled unexpectedly from instinct alone, Stiles didn’t fear him. He just shushed him and told him to lean his head back so he could wash his hair. 

Another wave of Derek’s rut hit him just after Stiles helped him out of the shower. He managed to get himself over to the bed while Stiles changed out of his wet clothes and into some of Derek’s dry ones. It probably wasn’t the best idea to have him smelling of himself since it only made his alpha hornier and more aggressive. Stiles returned while Derek writhed on the bed, his wolf features more prominent at the peak of his rut. 

“Stiles,” he snarled, trying to twist against the blankets to cover himself. His knot was beginning to form and he didn’t want to scar the omega for life. Stiles approached him, shushing him again and placing a calming hand on his skin. 

“I’ve seen a knot before, Der.” That made Derek grunt with displeasure and caused Stiles to smirk. “In health class, Mr. Alpha, calm down.” 

“Sorry.” 

Stiles shrugged. “Biology’s a bitch, I get it.” 

He helped Derek untangle himself from the blanket and put himself on full display once again. His hips were thrusting upward on their own accord, seeking something to sink into. Embarrassment should have been an emotion he felt but in the moment, he felt safe with Stiles. The boy wasn’t going to play games with him like Kate used to. Stiles was just there to help. 

“Okay, I’m going to get you some water,” Stiles explained. He picked up the fleshlight and placed it in Derek’s hand. “Use it, please.” 

Derek felt hot all over. He was about to fuck himself with a toy in front of the boy he grew up with. It felt wrong in so many ways but it made his wolf howl happily at the thought of Stiles watching them. 

“I know you want to go slow,” Stiles responded after he noticed Derek’s face. He hadn’t moved to use the toy like Stiles had requested. “We’re going to go slow. You can do all of the work, I’m just here to watch out for you.” 

He went to retrieve the water and Derek had still not used the toy. There were a million thoughts going through the alpha’s head all at once. His wolf wanted Stiles to do it for him, hold the toy and pump it up and down on his cock. Part of Derek kind of wanted it too but he hadn’t let anyone this close since Kate. The other night when he and Stiles grinded on each other was the closest he had gotten. He wasn’t sure if he could cross that line, even in this state. 

When Stiles came back, he sat on the edge of the bed with the glass in his hand. “Can you sit up for me, Der?” 

That was a request Derek could follow without hesitation. He gradually crawled back to where the pillows were, giving himself enough of a lift to be able to gulp down the water. Stiles tipped the glass back just enough for the water to trickle in as much as Derek wanted to drink the entire thing at once. 

“There you go,” Stiles praised gently. 

Once Derek had enough water to wet his throat, his attention was back on his aching body. It was getting worse with each minute and Stiles took notice. He grabbed the toy which Derek had left lying by his side and gripped it in his hand. He gave it a nervous look and then gave the same look to Derek. The alpha’s heart skipped a beat, a bit of hope building in his chest. He wasn’t going to be like Kate. This was the boy that Derek had known his entire life, the one who trusted him after being attacked. 

“Look,” Stiles whispered, “I know there’s something you’re not telling me because you can’t or whatever but when I walked in here, you weren’t just screaming. You were literally sobbing, Der. I haven’t seen you cry that hard since the fire. I don’t like seeing you like that. I don’t like seeing you like this. So, please, help me out and tell me what’s holding you back so I can help you.” 

Derek swallowed roughly, averting his eyes. 

“You don’t have to tell me right now but I need something. You’re looking at that toy like it’s going to poison you if you use it. If it’s because you don’t want me in the room, fine, I’ll sit outside the loft. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable but I did just dry hump you a couple of days ago so there’s really nothing to be embarrassed about.” 

Derek shook his head. “Not you.” 

“Then what?” 

Derek abdomen clenched in an unpleasant cramp. He needed something on his cock like yesterday. “I need something. Please, don’t make me explain right now. It’s too much. I just need you or something, please.” 

Stiles face softened and he nodded. “I’m here, big guy. Do you want me to help you?” 

Derek hesitated. Helping meant making himself vulnerable. Stiles had made himself vulnerable to Derek on many occasions; he trusted Derek. Derek needed to trust him too. So he nodded, allowing Stiles to crawl into the bed with him. Stiles took the toy and placed it over Derek’s heated cock, hovering above it. 

“Just tell me if you need to stop, okay? I won’t go any further than this. I won’t even look.” Derek appreciated the boy’s concern with his feelings. They were allowed to do this, allowed to experience awkward sexual moments like a real couple. This is how it was supposed to be, full of uncoordinated movements and a little giggles when Stiles missed the first time since he promised not to look. This was nothing like his ruts had been with Kate because this was Stiles. His Stiles. 

The moment the fleshlight enveloped his cock, Derek felt the world around him explode. He had been so pent up, he hadn’t realized just how badly he needed to come. Stiles’s hand was hesitant in his movements, unpracticed and awkward but Derek didn’t mind. He huddled closer to the omega, breathing in his timid scent as it calmed him and made him feel more in tune to every stroke. It didn’t necessarily feel as good as the real thing but they weren’t at that point. Even when they got to that point, Derek didn’t like the idea of sex during ruts. He liked to take him time and ruts just made things happen to fast. 

“Is that okay?” Stiles questioned, his eyes only on Derek’s, just as he promised. 

Derek helplessly nodded, mouth opening in an inarticulate cry. He tried incredibly hard to keep himself from thrusting forward to meet the pumps. It was so nice to have something around him that he almost forgot why he hated them so much. Stiles made him forget everything so easily. 

“Can I kiss you, Der?” The omega sounded so soft and beautiful. His amber eyes were wide and focused on Derek’s lips. 

“Y-yeah,” Derek growled, unable to keep the sound down. It didn’t seem to scare Stiles as the omega leaned forward, keeping his hand moving at a steady pace, and kissed Derek. Derek immediately opened his mouth, tasting Stiles as much as he could. The taste only made him harder, desperate for faster movements. 

He lowered his hand in search of Stiles’s hand on the toy. His touch made Stiles’s movements falter until Derek let out a disgruntled snarl. Stiles began to move again, pressing kisses to Derek’s face and whispering apologies. His pace picked up once Derek showed him how fast he wanted it. It was almost too much as some point when his knot inflated and pressed against the rim of the toy, not locking quite yet. 

“Almost there,” Stiles whispered encouragingly. “You’re almost there; I’ve got you.” 

Derek grunted, feeling his claws sink into the pillow above his head. He felt like he was going to lose control of himself but somehow Stiles tethered him like an anchor, keeping him where he needed to be. He had never experienced anything like it. 

“S-Stiles,” Derek whined, his knot catching just a second later. That was the only warning he could blurt out before he was coming. His hips jerked roughly; Stiles’s movements turning into small abortive thrusts, unable to pull out any further due to the knot. Derek roared, sinking his teeth into the closest pillow to his head. He didn’t even have time to think about how strange it was to have the desire to bite something, mark something for the first time during his ruts. Not once had he ever wanted to mark Kate as his own. 

That was a mate thing. Something that was only supposed to happen once his wolf recognized someone as his mate. He had the desire to take Stiles in his hands and sink his teeth into his creamy white skin. He was beautiful and Derek wanted to make him his. 

Stiles was Derek’s mate. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, we're finally getting somewhere! I hope you guys enjoyed a little glimpse into Derek's mind and a whole lot more smut than usual. If you want more of Derek's POV at some point, I'd be willing to write another. I like being inside Derek's head:)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter but there's more smut and fluff:) ~~Totally listened to Troye Sivan while I wrote this and he makes me feel angsty and fluffy.~~

Stiles had his arms wrapped around Derek’s trembling body long after the man stopped coming. He had helped him through three more waves of rut and by that point, both Stiles’s hand and Derek’s body were exhausted. The alpha had curled up against Stiles’s body, completely vulnerable and quiet. Stiles couldn’t help but place gentle kisses on top of Derek’s sweat matted hair. He hadn’t expected him to put so much trust in him at such a helpless time. It made him feel closer to Derek. 

Derek had fallen asleep after his fourth orgasm but by the smell, Stiles knew his rut wasn’t over yet. He was fine helping Derek through the rest. After walking in on him screaming bloody murder, Stiles wasn’t too keen on leaving him yet. At least his temperature had gone down since Stiles arrived. 

“S-Stiles,” Derek moaned sleepily. His hips rutted toward Stiles’s legs and he could feel Derek’s erection brush against the material of his sweats. Stiles had been inexplicably hard since he first arrived, entirely too affected by Derek’s rut. While Derek slept, he had snuck away to jerk off in the bathroom. But whenever he had come back, Derek was wide awake and growling. 

“How’re you doing?” 

Derek groaned and pressed his face further into Stiles’s body. “It fucking hurts.” 

Stiles’s heart hurt. He knew heats were worse than this only because they went on for three days max rather than the one Derek had to endure but Derek was still in so much pain. He also knew that a rut would be easier on him if he actually had an omega to sleep with. However, that was not happening; neither of them were ready. 

Stiles grabbed for the fleshlight again, having washed it while Derek was passed out. He was about to place it on Derek’s cock when the alpha snarled and rolled his hips back. Stiles tilted his head in concern. The past four times, Derek had pretty much fucked right into the entrance of the toy. 

“Don’t want it,” he growled, flashing his teeth. Stiles sighed. His cock must have been aching and raw at this point and the fleshlight wasn’t exactly the warm, welcoming space he needed. 

“What do you want?” 

Derek shook his head, his claws sinking into the sheets again. He was going to need new ones after this rut ended. “Anything but that, please.” 

Stiles kissed his forehead. “We can try one of your other toys?” Stiles remember seeing the prostate vibrator that had made Derek blush something crazy. He wondered if it would do him any good using it now. It usually helped omegas through their heat but that was mainly because attention was needed in that region. 

Derek didn’t respond, beginning to shake again. 

Stiles decided to make an executive decision. “Derek, do you trust me?” 

The alpha nodded almost immediately. 

“Will you let me help you?” 

“Y-yes,” he croaked. “How?” 

“Just relax, okay?” Stiles was nervous, as if he hadn’t just spent the last two hours pumping Derek’s cock with a sex toy. He just had an idea and he wasn’t sure how Derek was going to react. “Tell me if you want me to stop.” 

Derek nodded, although he looked extremely dazed. 

Stiles took the prostate vibrator and applied a generous amount of lube to it before dripping some down toward Derek's hole. The alpha twitched and snarled softly until Stiles placed a hand on his thigh. 

“This okay, big guy? Just say no and I'll stop.” Stiles was flustered and a little shocked that he was touching Derek in such an intimate way. Grinding up against each other had been so minuscule compared to this. 

“I-I, uh, yeah, just-”

Stiles placed a kiss to his inner thigh. “Slow, I know. I've got you.” 

Derek's body relaxed shortly after and allowed Stiles to begin to press the toy inside of him, careful to keep it off. Derek was tight but the toy was no wider than a finger so it slipped in with little resistance. Derek shuddered when Stiles turned it on to its slowest setting. 

“That feel okay?” 

“Mhmm,” Derek moaned, clutching the sheets in his hands. Stiles took that as a good sign and increased the vibrations. “Oh God!” 

“Just breathe,” Stiles instructed. 

Gradually, he increased the vibrations again, always checking in with Derek before he did. His own cock was painfully erect in his sweats but he was too focused on Derek to even think about dealing with it. It didn't matter how high the vibrations were, Derek couldn't seem to come with just that alone. 

An idea came to Stiles’s mind and he couldn't help but blush deeply. Derek needed something warm and wet to soothe his aching cock and while his ass was most definitely not available, something else was. 

“Der?” 

“Y-yeah?” 

“Would you, uh, be opposed to me,” he cleared his throat awkwardly, “giving you a blow job?” If his face wasn't already hot and red, it was now.

Derek made a startled noise still pretty distracted by the vibrator. Stiles felt the urge to lower the speed so that Derek could properly answer him but that seemed entirely too cruel. He just rubbed Derek’s thigh as gently as he could and waited for an answer. 

Derek trembled and reached for Stiles’s hand. “Not during my rut. Wanna remember it.” 

Stiles smiled gently. “Okay, okay. What can I do to help you? What do you need?” Stiles just wanted to help, ease Derek's pain. Because shit, he was in love with this man and it was killing to see him like this. 

“J-Just come up here,” Derek whined with an angry tone.

Stiles was conflicted, worried about leaving the vibrator behind in his absence. Derek was so consumed by the feeling that Stiles knew if he let go, Derek was going to panic. So, doing his best to do both tasks, Stiles kept one hand pressed against the end of the toy and crawled up to Derek's chest. 

“Can you,” Derek stopped, a shiver going through his body, “g-grind on me again?” Derek's body flushed a deeper red than it already was. 

Stiles felt his skin heat up too. He had been thinking of that moment since it happened and he definitely wanted to do it again. But the idea of doing it on Derek's naked cock made him entirely too anxious. 

“Yeah, yeah I can do that,” Stiles responded confidently. 

Derek closed his eyes in relief as Stiles straddled his lap. The hard press of Derek's cock against Stiles's ass was making the omega leak slick more heavily than before. For the most part, he had it under control but feeling Derek's erection was a whole different story. As he lowered his hips, putting pressure on Derek's cock, his sole goal was getting Derek to come. He didn't even care about his own pleasure in that moment. 

“Fuck!” Derek roared. “Fuck, please, Stiles please!” 

“I got you,” Stiles whispered soothingly. He tried to keep his voice even despite all the nerves in his body going haywire. 

Derek pulled Stiles's body down against his, kissing and nipping at his skin. Stiles moaned, unable to hold himself back. His omega was chanting at him to let Derek bite him, mark him as his own. 

“Der,” he shuddered violently. 

He could feel Derek's knot growing beneath him and he knew the alpha desperately wanted something to squeeze around it. So as Stiles rolled his hips, he reached a hand back and gently massaged Derek's knot, causing him to howl in pleasure. Stiles found Derek's lips and kissed him through his orgasm. They kissed as Derek basically sobbed from the feeling washing over his body.

Once he settled down, his body slowly calming, Stiles rolled off, making sure to stay close. Derek's eyes fluttered shut again, huddling as close to Stiles as humanly possible. Stiles allowed him to curl into him, stuffing his face in the crook of Stiles's neck. They both fell asleep like that, quietly breathing each other in.

 

* * *

 

Stiles rolled over in bed sniffing out the smell of bacon. His stomach growled loudly, remembering that he hadn't had any food since he got out of school and went to check on Derek. 

Derek. 

His eyes flew open, still in Derek's loft but Derek wasn't next to him. Stiles shifted onto his opposite side, facing the kitchen and saw Derek cooking. He looked so much better than he had when they fell asleep earlier. The scent of his rut still lingered under the surface but was almost completely gone. 

Derek took notice of him awake on the bed and smiled. He continued scrambling the eggs on the stove and Stiles realized it was morning. That caused him to jolt up in bed, scrambling for his phone. His dad must have been flipping out when he didn't come home. 

“I texted him,” Derek called calmly. “He wasn't too thrilled about you sleeping over again but I wanted him to know where you were.” 

Stiles sighed in relief. “Thanks.” Derek nodded. “How are you doing? Rut gone?”

“Yeah, all gone. Thank you by the way. You didn't have to stay but I appreciate it.” 

Stiles rolled his eyes playfully. “I wasn't going to leave you while you were like that. Have you ever had a rut that badly before?” 

Derek shook his head, eyes focused on the eggs. “Never.” 

“Well, at least it's over, right? I'd like to think I helped a little bit, huh?” he said with a proud grin. “Your fever stayed down as long as I was close to you. That's probably just an omega thing, right?” 

Derek ignored Stiles for a moment. “Der?” 

“What? Oh yeah, just an omega thing.” 

Stiles was confused but he figured Derek was acting weird due to his rut. He shrugged and let it go. “What are you making?” 

“Breakfast,” Derek replied sarcastically.

“What time is it?” He had school and his dad was most definitely going to kill him if he missed it because he was at Derek's.

“Just after six; don't worry, I know you have school. I was going to wake you up as soon as breakfast was ready.” 

Stiles lifted him off the bed, cringing at the stiffness of the sheets. He looked over at Derek who looked absolutely mortified. The laugh bubbling in his throat couldn't be contained any longer. He burst out into laughter, mainly because the sheets made a weird noise when he stood. Derek stared at him like he was insane but laughed a moment later. 

“Shit, I'm sorry,” Stiles giggled like a small child. “Not laughing at you.” 

Derek laughed. “I need new sheets. I'm so sorry you had to sleep in those.” 

Stiles wiped his eyes were tears had fallen. “No, no it's cool. At least they smell like you. Could be the reason I had such vivid dreams, huh?” 

Derek made a noise that could have been taken as agreement. He pulled out two plates and served both of them. Stiles reached for his plate and retreated over to the couch. He had some time before he needed to head home for school. He wanted to spend it with Derek. 

Once they were finished, Stiles curled up next to Derek as they watched the news. The two of them smelled like a whore house and it was only making Stiles's omega hornier. 

“So, I'm not going to pressure you or anything,” Stiles began and felt Derek go stiff next to him, “but I would really appreciate it if you talked to me about what happened yesterday. You scared the shit out of me, Der.” 

“I know,” Derek whispered, eyes on the screen. “I'm sorry.” 

“Just talk to me,” Stiles tried to reason. “You trust me, right?” 

“You know I do.” 

“Then why were you screaming like a banshee? What was happening to you?” Stiles was just trying to understand so he never triggered Derek in any way. The alpha had been kind enough to understand him after his attack too.

“It was Kate,” Derek said after a beat. “Sometimes I have dreams about her. I guess this time it was more of a hallucination.” 

“What did she do to you?” 

“Nothing I didn't want at the time. Ruts haven’t always been easy on me but they were never easy with Kate. She was a manipulator and I fell for it.” 

“It's not your fault.” It was like saying Stiles deserved to get the shit beat out of him by Tyler's foot. Derek had been young and he had thought he was in love.

Derek didn't respond.

“So you were hallucinating she was here?” 

Derek nodded. 

“Did she ever hurt you?” he questioned quietly, not really wanting to know the answer but asking anyway. If they ever wanted to move further with their relationship, they needed to talk and trust each other.

“Sometimes,” he replied, gripping Stiles's hand. “Most people saw it as abuse, my family included, but not me. I thought she loved me.” 

Stiles pulled away enough so he could look into the alpha’s eyes. “You know, I thought I deserved what Tyler and his friends did to me. I thought I was weak and pathetic like he told me. But then you came along and changed that.” 

Derek's eyebrows creased in confusion.

“You helped me feel stronger,” Stiles explained. “You showed me the potential I had inside of me. That I wasn’t just some weak omega who got beat up. I feel stronger every time I’m with you, Derek and I know all the other people you have helped feel the same way. The people that hurt us can’t have the best parts of us. Those parts are too strong to take. We’re stronger together like a pack.” 

Derek looked mesmerized by Stiles’s face and it made the omega fidget. 

“Derek?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Will you be my boyfriend?”

 

* * *

 

By the time Stiles arrived at school, he couldn’t believe he asked that singular question. It was so nontraditional for an omega but Stiles had never played by the rules to begin with. He was allowed to ask an alpha to be his boyfriend; hell, if they stayed together, which Stiles hoped they would, he might even ask Derek to be his mate and marry him. Traditions were meant to be broken sometimes. 

Derek’s answer echoed in his head all throughout the school day. He was barely there in his conversations with his friends and they noticed. The alpha hadn’t just given him a simple answer, a yes or a no, a head shake or a grin. If anything, Stiles had worried he was going to regret asking in the first place but the alpha surprised him. 

He had reached forward and kissed him, softly like he never wanted it to end. Stiles took that as a yes but he wanted to hear him say it. Instead, Derek picked Stiles up, carrying him as he straddled his hips and brought him over to the counter. Stiles couldn’t stop smiling as Derek kissed him all over his face and his neck, leaving behind little marks. His omega was yipping with happiness, being marked (well kind of) by his alpha. 

Stiles had giggled as Derek’s scruff tickled his neck. He pulled back, admiring Derek’s face. 

“So was that a yes?”

“Eh,” Derek had shrugged with a smirk. Stiles bursted into laughter again, shoving Derek playfully. 

“Eh my ass, alpha!” 

Derek kissed him again, real quick on the lips. 

“How could I ever say no?” 

Stiles had wrapped his legs around Derek’s waist and pulled him toward his body. It was perfect and wonderful and Stiles ended up being late for school. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please freak out (in an absolutely good way) because I'm freaking out <3


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! Happy New Year and I hope you're all still with me:)

Stiles's first lacrosse game was coming up and he was freaking out. The pressure was building on him quickly despite the fact that he was doing pretty well at practice. Some part of him was still pissed at Scott for using the pity card to get him on first string but he had been on such a lovestruck high because of Derek that he didn't even care. This game was going to be his chance to prove to everyone, including himself, that he deserved to be acknowledged on this team. 

Derek had promised to be at the game as did Stiles's dad and while the sheriff wouldn't necessarily question Derek, Stiles still felt the need to tell him about their recent status. He didn't like hiding stuff like that from his dad since eventually, it would make its way back to him. It also helped that his dad liked Derek now more than he had when Derek was a rebellious teenager. 

Stiles found his dad in the kitchen before his lacrosse game and instantly, his stomach was uneasy. It wasn't like he expected his dad to react negatively about it, he just wasn't entirely sure. He worried that his dad would think Derek was too old for him or that they were moving too fast. Stiles had heard of enough omegas who had wound up pregnant right out of high school and he didn't want to end up like that so his dad had zero to worry about. Maybe in the future, he'd want a pup with Derek but they weren't at that point. He wanted Derek as a mate, that was true, but a pup was out of the question until he was older. 

“Hey kiddo,” the sheriff greeted, looking through some files on the table while eating a cheeseburger. He had offered one to Stiles earlier but he was all jacked up on game day nerves to be interested. “You ready for your big game?” 

Stiles nodded weakly. “Hopefully I won't fall on my face.” The mental image of him totally face planting on the field was both hilarious and mortifying. He did not need to give those lacrosse assholes another reason to make fun of an omega on the team. 

His dad chuckled. “Sorry kid, you got your mother’s hand eye coordination, that's for sure.”  

Stiles smirked, adjusting his lacrosse uniform on his body. 

His dad closed the file and looked up at him with a proud, fatherly smile. He gave him a once over quickly which made Stiles arch his eyebrow in curiosity. 

“Your mom would be proud of you, Stiles. I hope you know that.” 

Stiles smiled sadly, wondering if his mom would have actually been proud of him. She hadn't experienced him when he was moody and hated who he was. She left him before he presented, before he became the thing he didn't want to be. He wondered if she looked down on him, wherever she was and smiled or if she frowned. 

“Dad? I have to tell you something.” 

The sheriff looked momentarily frightened and then composed himself. “What is it, kiddo?” 

Stiles took a deep breathe. He owed his dad the truth even if there was a chance of upsetting him. Maybe he didn't like Derek as much as Stiles presumed he did. 

“I, uh, well we,” he mumbled, trying to gather his thoughts. “Derek and I have been hanging around each other more lately and well, we kind of became more than friends.” 

The sheriff blinked.

“Derek and I are dating, Dad. He's my boyfriend,”  _ and hopefully my mate one day,  _ Stiles thought wishfully. But that was something his wolf had to pick, usually during a heat which was not going to happen anytime soon. 

His dad shook his head and Stiles's heart dropped into his stomach, until he started laughing. 

“About time, kid!”

“Wait, what?” 

“Anyone who has eyes and ears can see that you two like each other. You've liked him since you were just a pup. I know it was different back than but when he came back, I could see how much he was helping you cope and how close you were getting. To be honest, I was kind of hoping this would be the result of all your training sessions and all that,” he replied with another laugh. “I'll admit, had he showed interest years again, when he was going through all that shit with that blonde alpha, I would have put him in cuffs and locked him up but you're both of age and you guys can make your own decisions.” 

Stiles grinned, feeling the stress leave his body. “Really?”

The sheriff shrugged. “I mean, he's doing it for free, kiddo. A man running a business doesn't let money fly out the window unless he has a reason.” 

“And I was his reason?” 

“As far as I can see, you're the very reason he came back.” 

Stiles felt his jaw drop slightly. “What do you mean?” 

“He came back for a lot of reasons, Stiles, you know that but once you leave Beacon Hills, you don't often come back, especially after it treated you so badly. That is, unless you have something worth coming back for.” 

Derek had told Stiles that he was part of the reason he came back but for his dad to pick up on it made it feel more real. It made Stiles feel warm and fuzzy like a kid with a crush except Derek was way more than a crush. 

“Thanks, Dad. You know, for not reacting horribly or anything. I just wanted to tell you since he'd be at my game tonight.” 

“I mean, if he ever hurts you or otherwise inflicts any pain on you, he should know that I have the tools to make anything look like an accident.” 

“Dad!” Stiles groaned, rolling his eyes. 

The sheriff laughed. “Go get ready for your game, kid. You have a whole town out there waiting for you.” 

“No pressure or anything,” Stiles replied sarcastically, his heart still thrumming erratically in his chest. One screw up and he was positive Tyler would kick him off the team without a second thought and probably find someway to embarrass him when he did.

 

* * *

 

Scott knew Stiles was mad at him but he wasn’t sure why, mainly because Stiles hadn’t told him. He had ignored all of his texts since the party and only briefly spoke to him at school when it was necessary. He had nothing to say to Scott or Isaac for that matter since he was positive one or both of them had something to do with his placement on the team. Tyler was a jackass but he wasn’t that clever. 

Avoiding the two of them turned out to be a little more than difficult in the locker room before the game. Scott was constantly trying to make attempt to catch Stiles’s attention while they waited to go out onto the field. Stiles was doing his best to ignore him until he got in Stiles’s personal space, frustrated at the omega’s defiance. 

“What’s up with you?” Scott questioned, never really seeming angry about anything, more like a disappointed parent than anything. It bugged Stiles because he was pretty livid and hated that Scott always acted so calm. 

“Nothing,” Stiles mumbled, pretending to retie his cleats even though they were perfectly tied the first time. “I'm fine.” 

“Obviously not,” Scott retorted unhappily. 

Stiles clenched his fists in anger. “Fine, Scott, you wanna know why I'm so pissed off? Maybe it's because the only reason I'm on the team is because you made the coach put me on it!” 

Scott's face showed guilt almost instantly and the last smidge of doubt left Stiles's mind. His best friend had actually done what his enemy had taunted him with. It made him feel so much worse. 

“Stiles-”

“No,” Stiles sneered, “You keep doubting me, Scott and it's not fair. It's hard to believe my own best friend didn't think I was capable of making the lacrosse team. I'm sure it's just because I'm an omega, right? Omegas are the weaker sex?” 

“That's not why, Stiles.” 

“Then why, Scotty? Hmm?” 

“We both knew you were only going make second string if you made the team at all. Not because you're not good enough but because the captain hates you. Isaac and I-”

“Oh this keeps getting better!”

Scott hesitated before continuing, “Isaac and I talked to Coach and he told us he already knew which players were going to be put on first and second string but you weren't on the list. So Isaac traded his place on first string so you could make the team. Yeah, we might have encouraged Coach to put you on the team but we only did it because we knew how badly you wanted to be on the team.” 

Stiles stared blankly at Scott. “Because you didn't think I could prove myself worthy of being on the team?” 

“Would you just stop it?” Scott's voice finally rose slightly, enough to catch the attention of a few of their teammates. “I thought I was helping!” 

“Yeah, well you weren't,” Stiles muttered, grabbing his lacrosse stick and standing up. He wasn't in the mood to deal with all of this, not when he was already nervous and still relatively happy because of Derek. “I'll see you out on the field.” With that, he exited the room, leaving Scott behind him, looking dumbfounded. 

He stepped outside the locker room and took a deep breath, leaning against the wall. His desire to win the game was even stronger in that moment. Not just to win but to be the one who helped the team win. It felt like the only way for him to prove that Scott didn’t need to help him like he was some weak thing. Derek had taught him to be strong, to defy the stereotype he was pushed into and as much as Stiles struggled with being an omega, he was learning to accept himself and his own acceptance was all he needed.

 

* * *

 

Stiles scanned the crowd of people for Derek and his dad as soon as they came out onto the field. Music was playing for their entrance, making his ears throb gently. Their opponents from Devenford were already on the field and it only made Stiles’s stomach more unnerved. He searched for Derek, knowing if he found him, he’d feel calmer but unfortunately, he couldn’t find him. 

Scott caught him by the arm before they took their places on the field. Stiles almost lashed out onto he saw Scott’s pleading face. He paused, tilting his head while he waited for the alpha to say something. 

“I’m sorry, okay?” Scott spoke softly. “I shouldn’t have done it; I should have let you try out on your own. I just got scared, Stiles. I knew how badly it was going to hurt you if you didn’t make it. I knew Tyler was going to hold it over your head or make some smartass remark and I just wanted to prevent that. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” 

Stiles swallowed back his pride because he could tell everything Scott was saying was the truth. His best friend had good intentions despite what Stiles originally thought. It had gotten him on the team and given him a solid chance to prove himself. That was all Scott had meant to do and Stiles knew that. He was so consumed by the idea of people treating him differently because he was an omega that he didn’t pay attention to when people were doing it out of kindness rather than malice. 

“Help me prove that I’m supposed to be on this team and you’ll be forgiven,” Stiles said seriously before smiling softly. 

Scott smirked and nodded. “I guess that’s the least I can do. Let’s go kick some ass!” 

The first half of the game was rough. Everyone on the team seemed to be off of their game and it didn’t help that Coach kept screaming at them every time something went wrong. Stiles was drenched in sweat by the time halftime was called, sluggishly bringing himself into the locker room along with the rest of the players. The Coach’s voice had only grown louder in the confined space and Stiles wanted to crawl into a hole. 

By the time he was done screaming, after he had slammed the door shut in his office, Stiles was extremely relieved to say the least. His phone buzzed in his bag and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Derek’s name on the screen telling him to meet him outside. He snuck out of the room, practically running toward his boyfriend. 

_ His boyfriend _ . It felt weird to finally call him that after years of imagining it. 

Derek was waiting for him just outside like he said and the second Stiles saw him, he ran into his arms, sweaty body and all. The alpha didn’t seem to care as he wrapped his arms around Stiles despite the sticky, wet feeling on his back. Stiles sighed happily against Derek’s chest and felt the tension from the game leave his body. 

“We’re dying out there,” he muttered, breathing in Derek’s scent with each breath. “Like I’m pretty sure Coach is going to kill us if we don’t win our first game.” 

Derek chuckled. “I won’t let it happen.” 

Stiles huffed. 

“You guys are only a couple points behind. You have enough time to come back.” 

“I guess so,” Stiles agreed reluctantly. 

Derek kissed the top of the omega’s head. “Whether you win or lose, I’m taking you out to celebrate. I already made sure it was fine with your dad so that’s all good.” 

Stiles cringed. “He wasn’t weird was he? I told him about us before we came and if he was weird, I’m so sorry.” 

“I wouldn’t use weird as a descriptor of how he acted,” Derek responded with a cringe of his own. “Let’s just say, he acted like a normal dad who was worried about his kid. Nothing I haven’t heard before.” 

Stiles let out a throaty groan. “I’m sorry!” 

“It’s no big deal. I would do the same for our kid,” he whispered into Stiles’s ear which sent a shiver through his body. Derek’s heart stuttered after he spoke and Stiles smelled the familiar scent of embarrassment, though he chose to ignore it because the thought of having a child with Derek was too good to make the alpha regret his words. It felt nice to know Derek thought about it too. 

They stood there for a little while longer and Stiles knew he needed to get back soon. He didn’t need anyone else yelling at him tonight. 

“I should get back,” he announced quietly. “Come find me after the game, okay?” 

Derek pulled back and kissed Stiles’s forehead. “I’ll see you after. I’ll be in the crowd. With your dad. So no pressure.” 

Stiles shoved Derek playfully as the alpha smirked in a joking manner. “I don’t need anything else to stress about right now, Der!” 

“I’ll be a perfect gentleman, don’t worry. He likes me now.” 

“Yeah, now.” 

Derek pulled Stiles into a kiss, brief but still with enough passion to make Stiles feel like he was floating. The alpha pulled him away even though Stiles didn’t want to step away and turned him in the direction he came. Stiles turned his head slightly and smiled at Derek once last time. 

When they stepped back out onto the field, Stiles was ready. They had half an hour left to make up for all of the goals they had given away in the first half. Even though his body protested the initial thought of running across the field multiple times, he was fired up this time and all the adrenaline running through his body was enough to keep him going. 

They managed to catch up to Devenford by the fourth quarter and with just a few seconds left in the game, they were tied. He hadn’t managed to score at all during the game but he had held his own enough to prove to everyone that he wasn’t just a pity placement. 

With ten seconds left on the clock, Beacon Hills had the ball and the crowd was going absolutely crazy. Stiles was so pumped up on adrenaline that he thought his body was going to explode. Tyler had the ball with multiple Devenford players trailing behind him. Stiles was nearest to the goal when Tyler approached, his access to the goal was blocked by another player and Stiles was his last option. 

“Give him the ball!” Stiles heard the Coach screaming above the crowd. Tyler stared at him for what seemed like an eternity but was really only a second or two. His eyes were red with anger, refusing to throw to Stiles. “Masterson! Give him the damn ball!” 

Stiles could hear the clock ticking down, the roar of the crowd, Tyler’s vicious scent more than anyone else. He knew Tyler was going to try to make the shot. He could see it in his eyes despite everyone screaming at him. Stiles knew he was never going to let an omega make the winning goal. 

Just as he predicted, Tyler threw the ball with such force. Everyone who was watching knew it wasn’t going to make it. If anything, one of the Devenford players was going to get it before it even made it close. As a last second decision, Stiles surged forward, the ball moving in slow motion on it’s way into one of the Devenford player’s stick. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing but the second he felt the ball collide with the netting on his stick, confirming that he had somehow caught it, he turned, remembering how he had done it during his tryouts and threw. It was a blind shot, no setup or thought put into it, just hope that it would make it. The buzzer went off and his heart stopped in anticipation. 

The ball went in. 

The crowd erupted with screaming and clapping. Stiles was stunned, frozen in next to the net with his lacrosse stick still held up in the air. His eyes shifted over to Tyler who had the same shocked expression on his face. Stiles couldn’t help but smile smugly at the alpha because not only had he just proven himself, he had managed to score the winning goal that Tyler had so desperately tried to keep from him. Tyler snarled underneath his helmet, flashing his sharp canines at Stiles. Before he could even react, Stiles was being lifted from behind by his teammates like some scene right out of a movie. 

As he was lifted into the air, his eyes immediately found Derek who was smiling proudly at him next to Stiles’s dad. Stiles let the team carry him into the locker room, completely elated and feeling like he was on top of the world for the first time in his life. They celebrated him like half of them didn't use to look down on him for being an omega but Stiles let it happen. 

He was so damn ecstatic when he reached Derek and his dad outside the locker room after the game. His dad automatically pulled him into a tight hug, telling him how proud he was. Stiles was so full of emotion that he almost cried just out of happiness. He nearly did when Derek pulled him into his own arms and whispered words of praise in his ear. His omega whined happily. 

“You two have fun tonight,” Stiles’s dad commented, heading toward his car. “I’d rather him not spend the night at your loft again, Derek.” 

Derek cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Yes, sir. I’ll have him home at a reasonable time.” 

The sheriff nodded and gave the two of them one last look before going to his car. Once he was gone, Stiles jumped up and down with excitement, something that made Derek laugh harder than normal. 

“Did you see it?” Stiles questioned happily. “Did you see me do that! Holy shit, I actually did it! I have no idea how but I did it. Did you see Tyler’s face? Oh, that was seriously the best!” 

“I saw it all,” Derek murmured, keeping Stiles close to his body even though he was radiating with excitement. “I knew you could do it, baby.” 

Stiles grinned and leaned against the car, tilting his head up, requesting a kiss from the alpha. Derek complied, taking Stiles’s face in his hands and kissed him. They were definitely breaking some school rule on PDA but it was after hours and Stiles couldn’t seem to care if they were caught anyway. He liked the way Derek’s tongue slid into his mouth just enough for him to taste the alpha. It made him throb in his jeans just enough for him to moan into Derek’s mouth. If they didn’t pull away, they were going to end up doing something very, very against school rules. 

“So, what’s our plan?” Stiles asked when they pulled away from each other. 

“Dinner?” 

Stiles nodded quickly and his stomach growled as if on cue. 

“Good because I’m starving too.” 

Derek and Stiles were about to climb into his car when Tyler walked by them. He didn’t notice them but Stiles noticed him and froze next to Derek. Part of him knew Tyler wasn’t going to do anything to him especially with Derek right next to him but he still feared Tyler. The fear of being attacked never faded from his mind, it just haunted him. 

Derek had never seen Tyler before but Stiles was pretty sure he caught on real fast when Stiles unconsciously stepped back in fear. He had been testing the limits of Tyler’s aggression lately and he was probably close to breaking after this incident. Stiles was suddenly thankful that he wasn’t alone in the dark parking lot. 

“Hey,” Derek whispered softly, bringing a protective arm around Stiles’s body. The omega shuddered briefly and sank into Derek’s grip. “You’re okay. I’m right here, nothing to be scared of.” 

Stiles nodded shakily, watching Tyler pass without saying a word. Derek led him over to the passenger side and opened the door for him. Stiles slumped against the seat and took long breaths. He expected Derek to come around the other side of the car moments later but he didn’t. Curious, Stiles turned around in his seat, searching the outside through Derek’s back window. He wasn’t there either and Stiles’s stomach dropped suddenly. 

“Derek!” he groaned, shoving the door open. He knew what the alpha was doing and that was the part that worried him the most. Not what Tyler would do when Derek confronted him but what Derek would do. Derek was stronger and smarter than Tyler would ever be but Stiles really wasn’t too keen on the idea of Derek going to prison for killing someone. 

He practically ran through the parking lot, cursing that it wasn’t empty. He couldn’t see Tyler or Derek. After a few more seconds of running, Stiles stopped, focusing his listening on the quiet parking lot. He heard it a moment later, the same heartbeat he had grown up listening to, the one that comforted him in silence and the one that hardly knew fear. He ran toward it, annoyed that he had to do more running. 

Stiles reached Derek’s heartbeat just as a car speeding away drowned it out. He found Derek walking away from an empty parking spot. There was no body on the ground or blood on Derek’s hands so Tyler was still disappointingly alive. Derek walked toward him nonchalantly but stopped a few feet away when Stiles growled. 

“What the hell was that?” Stiles snapped unhappily. “You just left me in the car, Der!” 

Derek held his hands out, palms open and facing Stiles. “Nothing happened. I just talked to him, that’s all. I knew you weren’t going to like it so I-” he stopped, staring at Stiles’s body. The omega was trembling, both from anger and fear. 

“I thought-” Stiles whimpered uneasily. 

Derek crossed the rest of the distance between the two of them then stopped just inches away. “I told him that I know what he did to you and that if he ever touches you again, I will hurt him in the same way and then some.” 

Stiles blinked at Derek. “You’re the best and most annoying alpha I’ve ever met, I hope you know that. You scared the shit out of me. I thought you were going to murder him in the school parking lot.” 

“Ah, so you weren’t worried about me?” Derek responded with a coy laugh. Stiles could tell he was trying to defuse the situation but he wasn't amused.

“Did you think before you did that? You can't let your alpha bravado get in the way of your rational thinking, Der. What if he had tried something? What if he doesn't take your threat literally? You can't just do that stuff!” 

Derek sighed, looking guilty. 

“I'm sorry,” he muttered. “When it comes to you, I don't always think. I've wanted to punch that guy square in the face since you walked into my gym and when I saw how you reacted just with him walking by, I couldn't just let him walk away without saying something.” 

Stiles couldn't resist falling into the alpha’s arms. He wasn't mad or anything, just worried about what could have happened. Derek allowed him to nuzzle closer and rest his head against his shoulder. 

“How’d he react?” Stiles asked curiously. 

“Looked scared shitless at first,” Derek explained. “I didn’t tell him who I was, just that I know what he did and that I’d know if he ever did anything again. He smelled scared which was satisfying if I’m being honest. I wanted to do a whole lot more to him, trust me.” 

Stiles nodded because he understood. Derek’s wolf was naturally aggressive around other alphas and since Derek liked Stiles, he was even more aggressive around an alpha who had hurt Stiles. But Stiles didn’t want to ruin his night by being mad or stressed so he dropped it, thankful that he had someone who wanted to protect him in such a way. 

“You owe me dinner and dessert now,” Stiles said with a grumble. 

“Oh yeah?”

“Mhmm, for scaring me.” 

Derek grinned against the crown of his head. “Dinner and dessert it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you think what Derek did (confronting Tyler) will backfire or did he truly scare Tyler away?


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no excuse for the lack of an update other than writer's block? I hope you all still love this chapter. 
> 
> (Contains some BAMF!Stiles and smut)

Stiles was staring at the TV screen with a sick feeling in his stomach. He felt the raw urge to throw up right there in the living room. The local news showed a picture of a young man, an omega, who had been murdered outside of a convenience store just down the street from Beacon Hills High School earlier that evening. The reporters were claiming that it may have been a hate crime against omegas, their main suspects being a few alphas. The omega had been beaten behind a dumpster before anyone could find him. They rushed him to the hospital but there was nothing they could do for him, having lost too much blood, too much internal hemorrhaging among other things. The omega had only been in his mid twenties and he had been murdered because alphas didn’t like the progress they were finally making.

Stiles’s dad was holstering his gun, getting ready to go in since his job was never ending. Being the sheriff was demanding enough without a murder happening. But with this, he had no choice but to go in. He didn’t want to leave Stiles alone; he never did but now it was more stressful for him to do so. Stiles didn’t like stressing his dad out more than he already did. Raising an omega was hard enough on him.

The TV shut off suddenly and Stiles turned toward his dad with wide eyes.

“I don’t want you watching that anymore tonight,” the sheriff commented.

Stiles nodded in agreement because he was sure he was going to cry or puke if he heard anymore of the grueling details. It was sick what people thought they could get away with. Thankfully, the law was now on an omega’s side but that didn’t stop people from being beaten or murdered.

“Look, I don’t want you coming home alone tonight. I’ll drop you off at the gym on my way into the station and I want you to go home with Derek, okay? I’m only saying this because I don’t like the idea of you being home alone so I want you to spend the night over there. I already texted Derek and cleared it with him. Just, you know, behave yourself.”

Stiles blushed in embarrassment. “You behave yourself too, Dad.”

His dad smirked. “Always do, kiddo. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Stiles tried to believe that but he was always worried. His dad had a dangerous job and sometimes, Stiles terrified himself with the thought of his dad not coming home one evening. He wasn’t sure what he would do if he was orphaned. The sheriff was all he had left.

After Stiles packed his gym bag and some clothes for Derek's, his dad ushered him into his squad car. His stomach felt uneasy the entire way to the gym. He almost wanted to tell his dad not to go. Technically, the killer was still roaming the streets even though they had their suspects. His dad was an alpha, so he hardly needed to worry, right? Stiles wasn't sure about anything anymore.

“Why do you think they did it?” Stiles questioned just as they pulled up in front of Derek's gym. “He was so young.”

His dad sighed and put the car in park. “People are sick, Stiles. There's no rhyme or reason sometimes, it's just something wrong inside their heads.”

Stiles wondered if Tyler had something wrong in his head or if he was just like that. Whoever had killed the omega must have been screwed up somehow, leaving the poor man to die behind a dumpster. At least with Tyler, he only left Stiles semi broken. He hadn't intended to leave him there to die like whoever killed the unnamed omega.

“What's the point of omega rights if nobody can respect them? We're still being abused and murdered and looked down upon!” Stiles suddenly vibrated with anger. “Everyone makes it seem like we're progressing but we're not! Look at us!”

“I know, kiddo. There's always going to be assholes out there who aren't on the same page. But we're lucky to have come so far in just a few years. When we catch this guy, he's going to prison for a very long time. He has no law to protect him.”

Stiles groaned, placing his head in his hands. “I just hate being scared, Dad. I know there are a lot of good people in the world but the bad seem to outweigh them sometimes.”

“Just because that's all you hear about in the news. You don't hear about people like Derek who are omega rights activists and open a gym for a good cause. The news doesn't report the good things, don't ask me why, they just don't. But there are good people out there. The world has become a much better place since the rights were put into place.”

Stiles nodded, partially agreeing with the statement. He had read enough in high school textbooks to know that omegas had it a lot worse years before he was born. They were used a little more than breeding machines and slaves. Stiles was incredibly lucky to have been born in this time even if it wasn't perfect.

“Alright, kiddo. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning before school or Derek can stop you off, let me know. Be safe tonight, don't go outside unless you have to and text me when you two get to Derek's loft, okay?”

“Okay,” Stiles agreed, grabbing the strap to his bag. He turned back to his dad and pulled him into a hug over the center console. The sheriff chuckled out of surprise but hugged Stiles back.

“We’re just looking for some suspects, kiddo. It's not like I'm going off to war. I'll be back late tonight, I just want you to be safe and have someone else there with you. Stop worrying, you're going to make me worry and I already have enough gray hair on my head.”

Stiles laughed and squeezed his dad once more before pulling back. “I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too, kid. Tell Derek I said hi and be safe.”

“You too,” Stiles commented with a stern look as he climbed out of the car. His dad waved goodbye and drove off in the direction of the station. Stiles tried to push the pit in his stomach away as he walked inside and tell himself that his dad did this for a living. He should fear more for the man who killed the omega because once they found him, he'd never see the light of day again.

Derek was waiting for Stiles at the door of the gym, transferring the weight of Stiles's bag onto his own shoulder. He kissed the omega’s forehead and guided him inside. Stiles immediately breathed a sigh a relief being inside a place a comfort. He saw that it was busy but of the people working out, at least half of them were focused on the TV screens hanging on the walls. Beacon Hills had its fair share of crimes but nothing of this magnitude had occurred in a while. Stiles wondered if he would have been on the news had he reported Tyler and his friends.

Derek caught Stiles staring at the screen and pulled him closer. They were both probably having the same morbid thoughts. If Stiles focused harder, he could smell the underlying hint of anger in Derek's scent. He couldn't imagine how it must feel to be constantly lumped with murderers like that. Derek was the exact opposite of the alpha on the news.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Derek asked calmly.

Stiles shook his head. “I just want to train.” He wanted to hit something, something solid enough to make his fist hurt. He was angry at the world, at the universe even, for making such despicable people who murdered innocent people. Even if the omega had done something to provoke the alpha, he didn't deserve to be beaten within an inch of his life only to die at the hospital.

Derek didn't say a word, just grabbed for the boxing gloves, helping Stiles adjust them on his hands and gave him something to hit. They went on like that for a good two hours; enough time passed for the gym to clear out a considerable amount. By the time Stiles was done, he was sweating bullets, achy all over and tired. But he wasn't ready to be done yet.

“I want you to attack me,” Stiles demanded breathlessly.

Derek, who had been cleaning up, turned to Stiles with a bewildered expression. “Excuse me?”

“I said,” a breath, “I want you to attack me. I need to know what it feels like for real, not just basic exercises that are easy to escape from.” He needed Derek to hold him down, force him to put effort into escaping the holds. All the sessions and training had only prepared him for advances he was aware of. Tyler or another attacker wasn't going to inform him of which move they were going to do next.

“Stiles, no. The exercises you've been doing are good. You've been doing really well.”

Stiles shook his head. “I need more. You do it with the others during class on Thursdays. I don't want to end up like the omega on the news. I've only ever practiced with Nate and he's an omega. I need more,” he paused, looking desperate, “please.”

Derek wore an expression of complete conflict. Stiles knew he was asking a lot of his boyfriend who had been so careful around Stiles, always cautious about the moves they did or how they did them. And now, he was asking him to forget all about that and attack him like a monster.

“I'm scared, Der,” Stiles confessed quietly, feeling panic developing in his chest. “What if Tyler gets an idea or some other alpha thinks it's okay to attack me? I don't like being helpless and I still feel _helpless_.”

Derek stepped forward into Stiles's space and cupped a hand on his neck. “I know, baby, but you're not helpless.”

Stiles shook his head. “I’ll find someone else to do it if you won’t. I’ll ask any other alpha in this gym and I’m sure they’ll help me out.”

Derek growled under his breath making Stiles gulp but stand his ground. He needed Derek to do this for him. There were far too many dark thoughts going through his mind, imagining Tyler finding him outside of a convenience store and killing him because he couldn’t defend himself. That was a far too dark tunnel to enter in his state. He just needed Derek to help him feel safe.

“I’ll do it,” Derek finally answered, not sounding thrilled about the idea but Stiles could smell the scent of displeasure in the alpha’s scent. He was pretty sure Derek wasn’t too keen on the idea of another alpha touching Stiles much less attacking him even if it was fake. Stiles, if he was being honest and rational, wasn’t too keen on the idea either but it got Derek to help him.

Stiles took a deep shuddering breath. Relief washed through his body. “Thank you.”

The alpha kissed him gently and then pulled back. “After I close up, okay? I’ll show you that you’re not helpless.”

Stiles nodded, noticing his body was trembling.

He trembled until Derek was finished closing, after everyone had left and the gym was quiet. His heart had slowed to a reasonable pace but he was still antsy, needing that sense of security more than ever. He needed to know that he was capable of getting himself out of a terrible situation. The constant fear in his chest had to go away or he was going to combust.

“You ready?” Derek asked calmly but Stiles could tell he was hiding his emotions. He had padded himself up so that Stiles could hit him without necessarily hurting him.

Stiles nodded and rose to his feet.

“Scenario?” Stiles questioned softly remembering that was how Derek usually started off with the other omegas in his self defense class.

He heard Derek sigh behind him. “ You’re at an ATM at night. You’ve been paying attention to your surroundings but I still manage to sneak up on you. You’re panicked and scared but you don’t let it cloud your mind.”

Stiles waited, heart beating quickly in his chest. He wasn’t sure when or where Derek was going to attack but he knew he was going to. With the other scenarios during class, Derek almost always attacked from behind, seizing the victim. However, Derek never seemed to play by the same rules with Stiles as he placed a hand over his mouth to cut off the surprised yelp that escaped.

The omega struggled only to be yanked back against Derek’s body, his second hand gripping Stiles’s slender neck. Of course Derek didn’t do it with the intent of strangling him but he applied enough pressure to make Stiles panic just enough. He had to remind himself that he had asked Derek to do this despite the alpha being apprehensive about it.

Stiles hadn’t noticed he was paralyzed in Derek’s arms until the alpha pressed his lip close to his ear. “Fight me, Stiles. They’re not going to give up unless you give them a reason to, now fight back.”

Tyler hadn’t given up even after Stiles had. He hadn’t walked away after Stiles stopped struggling. He just kicked and kicked until Stiles screamed and bled. Everything about that memory infuriated Stiles and he began to fight back.

He slammed his head back, smacking against the cushion of Derek’s head gear. It hurt a little but he kept going. Derek’s grip loosened but not enough for Stiles to break free. He did the motion again, this time throwing in a heel kick right into the alpha’s padded skin. That caused him to release Stiles but before Stiles could run to the “safe zone”, which was across the gym, Derek had him in his hands again, wrestling him to the ground.

Stiles was working off of pure adrenaline. The second Derek got on top of him, he did what he had been trained to do. He kicked, bucking his legs forward to throw Derek’s balance off. The motion sent Derek’s body forward just enough for him to hook his foot underneath Derek’s. He bucked again, both knees flying forward into Derek’s butt and immediately rolling them so that he was no longer pinned.

“Hit me,” Derek instructed when Stiles paused after switching their positions. “You can’t stop, Stiles.”

Stiles slammed a fist into Derek’s padding, going for his face, stomach and groin until the alpha unhooked his legs from Stiles’s body. That was enough for him to stumble backwards and escape to the safe zone breathlessly. Derek remained on the ground for a few moments, having struggled with Stiles just as much.

“Good,” he said, coming up onto his feet. “That’s what you need to do every single time. Do not hesitate, do not stop, do not take pity on your attacker because they sure as hell won’t take pity on you. You fight back until you physically can’t, give it everything you have.”

As out of breath as he was, Stiles felt empowered. Derek had put in enough effort that it didn’t feel faked. Stiles had physically fought him to get free as he would have with any other person attacking him and he had freed himself.

“Again?” Stiles asked, on a fucking power trip.

Derek smiled proudly at him but shook his head. “Another night, hmm? I think we’ve done enough for today. Let’s go home and get some food in that belly of yours.”

Disappointed but understanding, Stiles agreed, helping Derek remove the padding from his sweaty body. Both of their bodies were sore, fast healing didn’t always prevent achy muscles like it should have. Stiles couldn’t help but place soft kisses against Derek’s skin with every piece he removed.

“Thank you, Der,” he breathed against the alpha’s neck.

“I told you that you weren’t helpless.”

Stiles was mesmerized by Derek's face, so close to his own. He reminded Stiles that there was still good in the world even when his mind went into dark places.

“I'm sorry I asked you to attack me when you didn’t want to do it,” Stiles mumbled, pressing his cheek into Derek's chest. “I shouldn't have, I knew you didn't want to do it.”

Derek kissed his shoulder and then his bare neck. “I won't do anything I don't want to, you know that. I only did it because you sounded so scared. I wanted to show you that you weren't helpless, that you didn't need to be so scared. I believe in you, Stiles. If anyone ever decides to fuck with you again, they're in for a big surprise.”

Stiles rolled his eyes, pretending like he didn't believe Derek but the omega in him was preening. Derek knew Stiles was strong, Stiles just had to believe that for himself too. He could fear violence; he needed to anticipate it. No attacker, especially not Tyler, who had beaten Stiles into the ground because he was weak, was going to expect him to fight back. Stiles was an omega but he was not weak.

They stood there together for a few minutes until Stiles's stomach growled. He giggled quietly and patted it as if it would quiet down that way. “Food?” he suggested while waggling his eyebrows.

Derek chuckled. “How about we go home and I make us some stir fry and then we can watch a movie or something?”

“That sounds amazing!”

 

* * *

 

After pretty much scarfing down his stir fry and half a tub of ice cream, Stiles was lounging on Derek's lap, half asleep. Derek was focused on a movie they had rented, a romantic comedy with an alpha and an omega as lovers. It was cheesy in Stiles's opinion but it was also kind of cute. However, neither of them were expecting a sex scene. Apparently they hadn't paid any attention to the rating because within seconds, the couple on screen was moaning loudly, passionately making out on their beds.

Stiles was frozen. He and Derek had been intimate twice before but nothing to the extent of skin slapping, heavy breathing sex. The first time was just grinding, not even near naked and the second time, Derek had been in rut. Neither of them made Stiles an expert on sex so he was mildly uncomfortable still. But of course, his omega perked up at the sudden feeling of arousal in his core. He shifted his body just barely in an attempt to cover up his growing erection. The movement backfired almost immediately when Stiles pressed down against the bulge in Derek’s jeans. Derek tried to hold back a moan but failed as it came out in a strangled gasp.

“Shit, sorry!” Stiles yelped afraid to move anymore than he already had. The scene was still going on in the background like some porno with less skin and Stiles desperately wished it would stop soon. It wasn't that he didn't want to be intimate with Derek because he really did, he just didn't want to appear inexperienced. They were five years apart and Stiles was a virgin for all intents and purposes.

Derek cleared his throat uncomfortably. “No, no, it's fine.”

Stiles could smell the headiness of Derek’s arousal, clouding his mind rather quickly. On a whim, Stiles turned his body toward Derek so that he could see his face. Derek was staring down at him with heated eyes and Stiles was at eye level with Derek’s bulge. He swallowed dryly wondering what he had expected when he turned around.

He wanted to show Derek that just because he was a virgin and mostly inexperienced didn’t mean he couldn’t show him a good time. Plus, he still owed Derek an out of rut blowjob. And he really wanted to take his mind off of everything that had happen earlier that day. Derek made him forget. 

So he pushed himself up into a seated position and then moved to the ground in a kneel, ignoring Derek’s confused look. He reached for the alpha’s pants, unbuttoning them before reaching for the zipper. Derek didn’t stop him but his breath hitched slightly once Stiles unzipped his pants. He helped Stiles by lifting his hips enough for the omega to slip the jeans down to his mid thigh. Stiles reached forward and shakily rubbed the bulge, trying to be sexy while he did it.

“S-Stiles,” Derek whined and jumped at the touch.

“‘S okay?”

Derek jerked his head quickly.

Stiles continued, slowly tugging the alpha boxers down until he saw his semi hard cock in all its glory. His mouth watered at the sight and made him feel dirty. It was different so up close. During Derek’s rut, Stiles had stayed above the waist when it came to looking. He had caught a few glimpses here and there when he was cleaning up or adjusting his grip but this was much, much different.

“You don’t have to,” Derek whispered huskily just as Stiles was about to place his lips on the head.

Stiles looked up and met his eyes. “I want to.” And then he closed his lips around the head of Derek’s cock and sucked. His right hand pumped the rest of Derek’s length to bring him to full hardness which happened in just a few minutes. Stiles could tell Derek was trying not to thrust up into his mouth, something he appreciated. In an attempt to soothe him, Stiles used his other hand to caress his bare thigh.

Derek’s precum made Stiles’s omega mewl happily, desiring the alpha to take them right there on the couch. Stiles pushed the feeling down only willing to take one big step that night. That didn’t stop his body from slicking up in preparation for something that wasn’t going to happen. His cock didn’t get the memo either, stiff and hard in his pants while he continued to suckle at Derek’s cock. He wanted Derek to come, wanted to show him that he could please him. He took him as far down his throat as he could until he was nearly choking himself on the bulbous head.

“Shit, Stiles!”

He took that as a good sign and kept going, licking up and down the length, alternating between taking the entire thing in his mouth and sucking just on the head. Derek’s knot began to inflate a few minutes later, growing in size every time Stiles suck deeper. With his free hand, he massaged the knot, urging Derek to come.

“Stiles, please don’t stop,” he begged, hand finding its way into Stiles’s thick hair. He threaded his fingers through the hair and pushed down slightly. Stiles wasn’t too keen on the idea of being choked on Derek’s cock but luckily for him, Derek eased off, realizing what he had done.

“Sorry,” he said roughly. “Sorry, sorry.”

Stiles just hummed softly, letting him know it was okay. He continued his endeavour ready to see it through to the end. Derek had done something for Stiles that night so Stiles was going to do this for him.

With his knot fully blown, Derek was on the verge of coming.

“Stiles, I’m gonna-”

“I know,” Stiles whispered hotly against his length, swooping back down to finish him off.

“You-” Derek didn’t finish before he began to come. His hips jerked upward into Stiles’s mouth, spurting hot come down his throat. Stiles struggled to swallow the immense amount of come but managed. Derek was moaning and writhing against the couch and to prolong his pleasure, Stiles continued to massage his knot and suck on the very tip of Derek’s cock, licking away the excess come.

It took some time for Derek to come down from his high, clutching the armrest next to him. His chest heaved, gradually slowing as his breathing went back to normal. Stiles pulled away and wiped his mouth clean before sitting in front of Derek with a proud expression on his face. The alpha watched him through his lashes, looking drunk on pleasure.

“I’m really glad we waited to do that until I wasn’t rut crazed.”

“Was it good?”

“Was it good?” Derek repeated, sitting up to fully look at Stiles. “Are you really asking me if it was good?”

Stiles blushed and nodded.

“It was the best blowjob I’ve ever had, baby.”

“Well, uh,” Stiles blushed harder, “thank you?”

Derek pulled the omega up for a kiss, bringing him onto the couch as their lips collided. He moaned as Derek’s tongue slipped into his mouth, tasting a mixture of his own come and Stiles’s natural aroma. Despite still being hard in his jeans, Stiles was absolutely content. Derek took notice of his erection and moved to take care of it for him but Stiles stopped him with a shy chuckle.

“All in good time, alpha, all in good time.”

He fell asleep in the safety of Derek's arms as he traced the moles on Stiles's back like they were constellations, connecting each one with another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What are your thoughts on this chapter? Is there anything you really want to see happen in the next few chapter? I'm not sure how many chapter this fic will turn out to be but I still have a few ideas I need to write before the end:)


	15. Chapter 15

Stiles woke up to a warm mouth placing soft kisses all over his body. He let out a quiet, sleepy moan, arching up into the touch gently. Derek was slowly and sweetly moving down Stiles’s bare stomach, his hand sweeping over the omega’s nipples which perked up at the simplest touch. It made Stiles feel warm in his core and slick in his boxers. Part of him believed he was dreaming but the feeling was too real and when he opened his eyes, Derek was still kissing him.

“Good morning,” the alpha whispered hotly and made Stiles shiver.

“H-hi,” Stiles replied, trembling under his touch. He hadn’t even done anything remotely sexual and Stiles was growing hard in his boxers and leaking slick onto the mattress. Thank God Derek had changed his sheets to rut sheets and kept them that way. If he kept this up, Stiles was going to be leaking even more so. “Whatcha doing?”

“Kissing my boyfriend,” Derek muttered, nipping at the skin just barely.

“I’m gonna ruin your sheets,” Stiles warned him despite the fact that he knew Derek didn’t care about his sheets. He figured it was still nice to give a heads up about how slick he was becoming just from body kisses. “I’m w-wet.”

Derek chuckled. “Kinda the point, baby.”

Stiles smiled at the ceiling, his hand seeking Derek’s head out. When he found it, his fingers threaded through the man’s hair relishing in the softness of it. He had school and his dad was picking him up but Stiles didn’t want to move from that bed. He wanted to lie there forever with Derek.

“What time is it?”

“Just after six,” Derek replied but didn’t stop touching Stiles.

“M-my dad’s coming to pick me up at seven, Der.”

“That’s plenty of time.”

Stiles rose on his forearms to look at Derek with a curious expression. “What are you planning on doing, Alpha?” There were a multitude of things Stiles wanted to beg Derek to do to him but he really wasn’t prepared for any of them. Being a virgin and all, he had never gone further than what they had done the previous night. He worried that whatever Derek had planned, he was going to make a fool of himself by coming in his boxers before he could actually do anything.

“I want to return the favor,” Derek replied, lifting his head so he could meet Stiles’s gaze. “You know, from last night.”

Stiles flushed, the heat rising in his cheeks rather quickly. He could still taste Derek in his mouth, the oddly delicious flavor that made his omega paw at the surface of his mind. The sounds Derek had made with Stiles’s mouth on him were even better than the taste. He liked hearing Derek’s sweet noises, letting go of himself just a little as Stiles pleasured him.

“You,” Stiles swallowed awkwardly, “you don’t have to do that.”

Derek smirked and ran a hand over Stiles’s taut stomach muscles. “And you didn’t have to suck my cock last night but you did and I think you deserve something in return.”

Yup, Stiles was going to come before Derek even started touching him.

“I haven’t ever-”

“I know,” Derek cut him off before he could finish. “If I’m being honest, I’m rather glad nobody has ever touched you as I’m about to. It makes my alpha a little possessive at the thought of someone else touching you.”

“But what if I-”

Derek cut him off again with, “What if you come too quickly?” he guessed correctly and Stiles groaned in embarrassment, stuffing his face into the pillow next to him. Sometimes it was like Derek could read his mind and Stiles wasn’t so sure he liked it. “When your mouth was on me last night, I couldn’t think about anything but the hot, wet feeling that wrapped around me. It made me go insane, Stiles.” Derek edged up closer to the omega, hovering just above his lips. “You think I cared how quickly you come?”

Stiles shrugged, wanting to lean up and kiss him.

“Did you care how fast I came?”

Stiles shook his head slowly. “No, I wasn’t even paying attention to that. I just wanted to make you feel good.”

“Exactly,” Derek whispered and placed a kiss on Stiles’s forehead, nowhere near where he wanted Derek’s lips. “So don’t worry about it. I just want to make you feel good. Do you trust me to do that?”

The omega chased after Derek’s lips as an answer to his question. Derek obliged and kissed him with enough power to flatten him against the bed. Caught up in the moment, Stiles didn’t feel shy when Derek began to remove his slick dampened boxers. He did it so carefully and slowly that Stiles allowed him without any protest. The cool air hit him so suddenly that he squeaked into Derek's mouth and trembled, feeling cold.

“Shh, baby,” Derek cooed against his lips. “Gonna make you feel good.”

Stiles felt oddly vulnerable under Derek’s touch. There was no one he trusted more than the man above him but being naked under his hot flesh was a new experience. His omega was desperate to crawl out from his weight and present himself for the alpha’s taking. Stiles’s human side was more curious to know what it would feel like to have Derek’s mouth around his throbbing cock.

“Der,” he breathed once Derek began to kiss down his body again. “Der, please.”

Derek hummed in reply, edging closer and closer until Stiles could feel his hot breath against his cock. The anticipation was almost too much. He had dreamed of this moment so many times in his life and now that it was happening, he held his breath, waiting for it to be yanked out of him the second Derek’s lips touched the head.

“Y-you're killing me,” Stiles whined pathetically. “Please!”

Derek chuckled softly. “Someone’s impatient.”

Stiles whined again just before Derek's lips enveloped his leaking cock. The air rushed out of him all at once as he had expected, leaving his mouth open in an inarticulate cry. It was such a foreign feeling that made Stiles want to combust because it felt so heavenly. He panted, grasping the sheets roughly in his hands as Derek took him further into his mouth.

“Derek, holy shit,” Stiles moaned, accidentally thrusting upward, wanting to be more inside of Derek's mouth. “Keep going, keep going!”

He felt Derek pulled off gently, smirking against the head of his cock. His tongue swept out and licked the precum from the slit, sending intense shivers through Stiles's body. The boy who went going to last very long, he knew that. But he could feel the desperate need for something else. His slicked up hole clenched, seeking something to tighten around. Stiles whined again, spreading his legs a little more.

His body wanted one thing and slowly but surely, his mind was wanting the same thing. He didn't need to be embarrassed for wanting it so badly. There was nothing shameful about it. Being an omega came with its downsides but needing a finger or two inside of him to come wasn't one of them. At least Stiles didn't view it that way anymore.

“Derek?” Stiles choked out, flushing wildly as he did. He didn't just want it, he almost physically needed it.

“Yeah, baby?” Derek replied huskily.

“I, uh,” Stiles stammered. He worried Derek was going to judge him but that was just the insecure part of him. Derek wasn’t like that; he wasn’t going to make fun of Stiles or otherwise humiliate him for asking. “Uh, could you finger me?”

Derek lifted his head so he could meet Stiles’s eyes. “Are you sure?”

Stiles averted his eyes but nodded. “M-maybe just one or two?”  

Derek kissed his inner thigh which made Stiles twitch. “I can do that. Do you need lube?”

As much as Stiles was leaking from the intense arousal, he still needed lube. The only time omegas didn’t need any was during the peak of their heat when they were open, able to take a knot without any pain. So, he briefly nodded, still keeping his eyes from Derek’s face because he knew the second he looked, he was going to burst into a pile of awkward, embarrassed mush and nothing about that was sexy.

“Stiles?”

“Yeah?”

“Look at me,” the alpha ordered softly. It wasn’t a command or something he was forced to listen to but he wanted to listen. His omega wanted to do everything the alpha asked of him without a second thought.

When Stiles refused to look, Derek crawled up his body so that his face hovered above Stiles’s. Stiles most definitely turned into a pile of mush at the sight of his beautiful alpha, lips slightly pink and wet from sucking. Derek's hand began to pump Stiles's cock, not feeling nearly as amazing as his mouth but still sending thrilling waves of pleasure through his body. His lips parted and he ached for Derek to kiss them.

“Tell me what you want,” Derek encouraged, hand continuously pumping. “Tell me what you need, baby.”

“I want,” Stiles began, eyes moving away from Derek's face again. He heard Derek growl quietly causing his attention to snap back. His eyes were demanding Stiles to look at him while he spoke, such intensity. “I want you to finger me.”

Derek grinned and swooped down to kiss the boy. Stiles froze momentarily, realizing he was tasting himself in Derek’s mouth, kind of sweet, kind of bitter. By the time he accepted the taste, Derek moved away, reaching into his nightstand for the lubes. Stiles waited, trying not to tense up when Derek pressed his lubed up finger at the entrance of his hole.

“Relax, baby. I’ll go slow.” Stiles could easily take one of his own fingers but he had skinny fingers while Derek’s were both long and thick. Two of Stiles’s fingers equated to one of Derek’s and that made the boy worry he wouldn’t be able to take it. And then he had an even more worrisome thought, if he couldn’t even take Derek’s fingers, he’d never be able to take his cock when the time came.

“Der,” he whimpered quietly, feeling the digit slide in passed his rim. He clenched without thinking, tightening around the sudden intrusion.

“That’s good, Stiles,” Derek praised as soon as Stiles willed himself to relax against the finger. The release of his muscles allowed it to slip further, giving a small sense of fullness. It was strange to not have any control over the speed or force applied. Stiles was at the will of Derek. If he wanted to go slow and torture Stiles or go fast and fuck him, Stiles was just going to go with it. “There you go, let me make you feel good.”

Stiles nodded, eyes closed again so he could focus on the feeling. Derek’s mouth was back on his cock, sucking gently as his finger rock in and out gently. There wasn’t too much pain in between the first and second finger, just a small jolt of shock when his thick digits forced his hole open a little more.

“That feel good?” Derek questioned, licking up Stiles's length and ending at the tip.

Stiles nodded frantically, crying out when Derek nudged against his prostate. His hand searched for Derek's, needing something else other than the sheet to grasp onto. Derek found his searching hand and laced their fingers together. Stiles sighed, feeling the fingers slip further inside of him, continuously pounding against his sweet spot. Derek knew how to make Stiles into a panting, mewling mess.

“Derek!” Stiles moaned and spread his thighs more.

Derek bobbed his head up and down, the head of Stiles's cock hitting the back of Derek's throat as his fingers pressed roughly into his prostate. His core was on fire, letting him know that he was going to come very soon. He didn't want it to stop but there was no way he'd be able to hold himself back.

“I'm gonna,” Stiles cried out, barely giving a warning as he shot down Derek's throat, white hot come coating the man’s mouth. His hole clenched rhythmically, milking the nonexistent cock as Derek crooked his fingers like a small knot. His omega wished Derek's actual cock was pumping him full of come but Stiles was quite happy with the fingers.

It took him some time before he fully recovered, still panting and clutching onto Derek’s hand like he was going to float away if he let go. Derek kissed his quivering inner thigh, crawling his way back up Stiles’s body. He pulled the boy toward his warm body and held him for a moment.

“How was that?”

Stiles laughed strangely. “I’m not quite sure I have the right words for it.”

Derek kissed him on the lips. “You better get ready before your dad gets here.”

_Oh right, his dad._

 

* * *

 

As soon as Stiles jumped into his dad’s car, he immediately hammered his dad with questions. Did they catch the guy? Was he an alpha? Why did he do it? How much time would he get? He wanted to know all the details about the scumbag who caused Stiles such anxiety the previous night. Although it had done him some good, he still felt mildly guilty for forcing Derek to attack him.

“Slow down there, kiddo,” his dad said as they drove toward his school. Luckily, they still had a solid fifteen minutes before they reached Beacon Hills so he had plenty of time to get the answers out of his dad.

“Well?”

“Yeah, we caught him.”

“Sweet justice!” Stiles shouted dramatically, which caused the sheriff to chuckle. “So what happens now?”

His dad shrugged. “Up to the state now. It’s out of our hands.”

“What?” Stiles physically turned in his seat. “Are you serious?”

“Unfortunately so. Trust me, if we had a choice in what happened to that man, he'd be locked away in prison forever. Hopefully the court decides that’s what he deserves anyway.”

“Why’d he do it?” Stiles questioned a few moments later in a quiet tone.

“I don’t know, kiddo. We could hardly get a confession out of him. He didn’t seem like the most stable of the bunch but he’ll get what he deserves, don’t worry about that. Murdering an omega is not only illegal but completely wrong and highly frowned upon in prison. I know it seems like there are many people who still dislike omegas but that’s just because they’re loud and open about their hatred. A lot of alphas in prison are mated to omegas. It’s on the same level as harming a child to them, just wrong.”

Stiles nodded, thinking about the various reasons alphas would be in prison if it weren’t because they harmed an omega. It comforted him a little to think that there were some bad guys who still thought omegas were worthy. Whoever the man was that killed the omega, Stiles hoped he got years upon years of time on his sentence.

“Are you going to be okay at school today? I don't want those assholes who hurt you to be giving you a hard time.”

“I'll be fine, Dad. They haven't done anything in awhile and Scott is always around to help. I'm just glad you guys caught the guy. Makes me feel the slightest bit safer.”

His dad gave him a long look. “Okay, well you give me a call if you need anything. I'll put any one of those alphas in cuffs without a second thought.” Stiles laughed and rolled his eyes. “I'm serious, Stiles. You're all I have left. I can't imagine anything happening to you.”

Stiles's heart clenched with sadness. His dad was all he had left too. Both of them were still grieving Stiles's mom after so many years and they were each other's rocks.

“I’ll be safe, Dad. Don’t worry, I plan on sticking around for a long, long time. Who else is going to make sure you don’t eat too much red meat, huh? Melissa gives a valiant effort every time, I’ll give her that but you need me around.”

His dad scoffed jokingly, rolling his eyes because he knew it was true. He shoved Stiles toward the door playfully. “Go get yourself an education, kid. You don’t want to end up like your old man.”

 

* * *

 

The dead omega was the only thing people were talking about at school. If it wasn’t that, it was about the alpha who had been arrested. Stiles learned that the omega’s name was Carter, a 21 year old attending Beacon Hills Community College. The alpha’s name was Daniel, a 23 year old who had been drunk when he killed Carter. Neither of them knew each other, Carter had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, said the wrong thing to the wrong alpha and ended up dead.

Stiles tried to not listen to what everyone was saying. He feared it would only make him sicker than he already felt. A lot of his classmates were sympathetic, the few omegas he heard feared for themselves more than anything. They feared that the world was suddenly reverting back to their old ways that were written about in old textbooks. It was understandable to be scared.

But then there were some people who were blaming it on the omega. Victim blaming was never going to die no matter how much time passed. There’d always be someone who blamed the ones who shouldn’t be blamed. Stiles had a very hard time not hitting those people over their dumb heads. Lydia had already done that to a few of their classmates who had the audacity to say it outloud.

Scott met Stiles after class to go to lacrosse practice. He didn’t bring up anything about the omega or the alpha and Stiles appreciated that more than words could describe. Enough people gave him looks like he was already a dead man just because he was an omega. All he wanted to do was go back to Derek and feel safe in his gym. Luckily, tonight was the omega self defense class so he’d be surrounded by support.

Stiles avoided Tyler as much as humanly possible during practice. He reminded himself that he didn’t need to fear Tyler. He was more than capable of escaping an attack if necessary but he didn’t want to encourage one. Despite escaping Derek’s “attack”, he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d be able to get away unscathed or not. The first time, Stiles hadn’t fought back but there had been five of them. Tyler was one threat but if five of them attacked again, well, that thought terrified him.

Scott walked him to his car even though Stiles told him he’d be fine. His best friend wouldn’t take no as an answer. Stiles knew he was only doing it because he worried, not because Stiles was weak and incapable. He was also pretty sure his dad was either threatening Scott or highly suggesting he kept Stiles safe. Either way, as much as Stiles didn’t like to admit it, Scott made him feel safe.

Nathan’s face was the first one Stiles saw when he entered Derek’s gym after practice. The fifteen year old looked even more fragile and frightened than he normally did given the circumstances. Stiles remembered with a disgusted feeling that Nathan had been attacked by multiple faceless alphas without cause or reason. Carter’s death must have hit really close to home for him and Stiles just wanted to hug him.

“Nate,” he greeted softly, with a smile that made the other omega smile back. He pulled the younger boy into his arms, wanting nothing more than to comfort him. He sometimes forgot that other omegas were suffering too. “How are you doing?”

Nathan shrugged once Stiles released him. “Haven’t had a panic attack today so that’s a start, right?”

Stiles smiled sadly. “I’m here if you need me, okay?”

Nathan nodded and fell back into Stiles’s arms. “Thank you, Stiles. I wish I was like you.”

Stiles made of noise of confusion. “What do you mean?”

“You’re brave and strong and even when you’re scared, you hardly show it. I can barely make it a week without having some sort of panic attack because of a memory. I just keep wondering if one of the alphas that attacked me in the alley was the one who killed the omega on the news. It makes me feel sick because if it was, then I’m partially to blame for his death because I didn’t report the attack.”

Stiles sighed and held Nathan out in front of him so the younger boy was forced to look at him.

“Even if it was the same alpha, there is no way it was remotely your fault. You didn’t see who attacked you so you couldn’t have done anything had you reported it. The alpha who murdered that omega was fucked up in the head. He was drunk that night and he probably wasn’t thinking straight. I know you’re scared, Nate because I’m right there with you but we’re strong together.”

It took Nathan a moment before he nodded. Stiles wasn’t sure if he was nodding because he agreed with his statement or if he was just nodding to nod. Either way, Stiles let it go.

Derek entered the room with Olive moments later and everyone’s attentions drifted over to them. Derek’s eyes found Stiles and Nathan and before Stiles could release the boy, his eyes shifted darker, a little jealous and possessive. Stiles knew Derek didn’t mind their friendship but his wolf had a different opinion on the matter despite Nathan being an omega himself. He recovered quickly and turned his attention to his omegas.

“In light of recent events, this session is going to focus primarily on attack simulations. Instead of me simulating an attack with each of you, I want you to pair up, gear up and go for it. I’ll monitor all of you but I want you to give it all you’ve got, alright? If anyone’s uncomfortable doing this, please come up and talk to Olive or me before we start.”

Everyone geared up in padded equipment. Stiles waited until Nathan returned in his gear. He looked like a teddy bear, nowhere near as threatening as Derek had looked when he did this for Stiles.

“Stiles?” Nathan called through his head gear. “I-I was wondering, there’s this uh,” Nathan gulped nervously. Stiles could smell his anxiety as it radiated off of him. He was pretty sure if it weren’t for the helmet, he’d be able to see the deep blush creeping across Nathan’s cheeks. “There’s a rally or a march tomorrow for omega rights and I was, I guess, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?”

Stiles couldn’t help but grin at the shyness in Nathan’s voice. He was too cute to deny, especially when he looked like a giant padded teddy bear. Plus, Stiles always wanted to go to a rally and this one had an important cause.

“I’d love to go with you, Nate.”

The boy smiled widely, extremely happy with Stiles’s answer. A small part of Stiles knew what he was getting himself into. Nathan liked him, that much was obvious and agreeing to go was probably crossing a friendship line but he didn’t want to stop being close with him just because of that. He and Nathan were able to relate and bond. So Stiles pushed the thought into the back of his mind and smiled back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you have asked for a heat chapter at some point before the end of this fic and I plan to write one but first I have a few questions that I need answered before I can decide on which route I'd like to take: 
> 
>  
> 
> **1\. Do you want there to be heat sex during Stiles's heat or do you just want Derek to help him through it? (It will not be their first time when it happens btw)**
> 
>  
> 
> **2\. On a level from 1 to 10, how angsty do you want it to be? (1 being the least, 10 being the most) (Also, remember Stiles is on suppressants so it's going to be a bit of a surprise heat)**
> 
>  
> 
> **3\. Is there anything you'd like to see in the chapter or not like to see?**


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for everyone who supported the rewrite! I hope you like it:)

“You’re not going,” Derek said as soon as Stiles told him about his plans with Nathan. He hadn’t presented it as a question and yet Derek was acting like it was one. Stiles threw Derek an unimpressed look and crossed his arms. Derek wasn't his alpha, he was his boyfriend and he didn't get to pick what Stiles could or couldn't do. That was pushing omega rights back like 50 years.

“I didn't exactly ask you, Der,” Stiles replied with snark. “If this attitude,” he waved his hand, gesturing toward Derek's entire person, “is because of Nate then you really need to cut it out. He knows we're together and he's just a kid!” True, he was only three years younger than Stiles but three years was a long time in retrospect.

“It's not about Nate,” Derek growled softly, not in a threatening manner, just more like he was trying to get a grip on his wolf.

“Then what? You're never like this. It's just a rally for omega rights; it's not even a protest. Is that what you're worried about? That I'll get hurt at a protest?”

Derek gave him a look. “Don't act like it hasn't happened before. You saw the protests on the news a few years ago. They can turn violent so quickly. I just don't think it's the safest place to be right after that murder.”

“That murder is exactly why I want to be there tomorrow, Der. It's important to me, to every omega out there. We can't sit in fear of alphas murdering us. It's a march to show the city, hell the whole state, that we aren't afraid, that we'll stand together.” Ever since Nathan had brought the march up, Stiles had wanted nothing more than to be part of it. It was empowering to be part of something like that.

Derek placed his head in his hands with his elbows resting on the desk. Stiles couldn't understand why he was acting so strangely about it. He knew that Derek wanted to protect him but the rally was probably one of the safest places he could be, surrounded by thousands of omegas and police patrols. A no from the alpha wasn't going to stop him from going.

“What if I go?” Derek asked quietly. “I'd feel much better if I went with you two.”

Stiles made a face. “I-I'm not sure that's a good idea.”

“Why not?” Derek asked, looking offended. Stiles just wanted to go home but no, he was stuck explaining himself to his alpha boyfriend with major jealousy issues.

“It's an _omega_ rally, Der,” Stiles responded, putting emphasis on the omega part. “It's not that I don't want you to go, I just don't think some of the omegas would be comfortable.”

Stiles could see that his words were aggravating, if not insulting, Derek but they were the truth. Not all omegas were comfortable with alphas even if they were kind like Derek. Some omegas just saw the bad in alphas and Stiles didn't want to be the one who brought one to a peace rally.

“Look, I'm sorry,” Stiles tried, not wanting Derek mad at him. “I wish I could bring you, really.”

Derek mumbled under his voice and Stiles stood defeated. It was a dumb thing to get in a fight over but Derek had a thing for getting jealous. As much as it thrilled his omega, Stiles couldn't stand it. He wanted Derek to trust him as much as he trusted him.

He wanted Derek to act like his mate even if they weren't officially anything other than boyfriends. Derek had always been his mate in Stiles's mind even when he was just a pup. He knew Derek wanted him but he always worried it wouldn't be for the long run. The insecure part of him feared him leaving him again.

“I'm just going to head home,” Stiles mumbled, eyes cast down. He didn't want to leave it like this but there was no point in fighting anymore. “I'll see you at some point?” he tried to keep the unsteady sound out of his voice as he spoke.

Derek's expression immediately softened, sensing Stiles's distress. He stood from his chair as well but didn't move.

“Let me walk you to your car,” he said gently. Stiles wasn't going to fight him on that. He wasn't in the best mood but he liked that Derek walked him to his car late at night. Derek hadn't moved yet, as if waiting for Stiles to agree.

“Okay,” Stiles voiced just so Derek would stop standing like a freaking statue. That caused the alpha to step forward and clasped Stiles’s hand in his own. The simple touch eased the stress in Stiles’s body, cutting it in half. He wanted to lean into Derek and beg him to touch him further but he resisted. This wasn’t about being mad at Derek, he just needed to hold his ground. Nathan needed him at the omega rally, without Derek looming over them. Plus, Derek was only going to get jealous despite not needing to be. Stiles had no romantic interest in Nathan and if the younger omega decided to act on his interest, Stiles wanted to be able to shut it down nicely, _without_ Derek scaring the shit out of him.

They reached Stiles’s car a few minutes later and Stiles leaned against the door so he could face Derek. He didn’t want to leave on a bad note so he pulled Derek toward him until his body was pressed into his own.

“I don’t want you to be mad,” Stiles whispered against his skin. “I told you so you wouldn’t worry tomorrow. You know I want you to come but I don’t want to make Nate uncomfortable. He’s been through a lot.”

Derek nodded and brushed his lips against Stiles’s neck. Stiles knew that Derek’s wolf needed to scent him, usually did whenever they separated at night. Stiles didn’t mind it because it was Derek. Had anyone else ever wanted to scent him like this, Stiles wouldn’t have tolerated it but Derek was all too lovely to deny.

“Go ahead,” Stiles instructed, knowing Derek was waiting for permission, especially with the tense situation. Derek never took without anymore than he was given.

The alpha let out a needy whine and rubbed cheek, stubble tickling Stiles, against the omega’s neck. Stiles tilted his neck to allow Derek more access. Most of his weight was held against the car by Derek's body which he was thankful for. Scenting tended to bring his omega to the surface and the horny bastard still only thought of Derek bending him over and knotting him full. While the thought equally turned Stiles on some days, he also had more of a brain than that.

“I'm sorry,” he heard Derek whisper as he mixed their scents. “I'm sorry I'm such an ass, Stiles.” Stiles made a noise in agreement. “You're allowed to do whatever you want. You don't even have to tell me. I don't own you. That's like pre omega rights bullshit and you know I'm not about that.”

“I know,” Stiles answered. “That's why I like you.” He smiled softly and looked up at Derek once he pulled back. Derek gave him a sheepish look.

“I just worry.”

Stiles pecked him on the lips in one quick motion. “I know you do but you gotta trust me. I'm going this for Nate. He's like a terrified pup, Der. It breaks my heart. I'm aware he liked me but I don't want to hurt him.”

“He needs to know that you can't like him like that,” Derek said flatly.

“He knows but it's not like it's going to stop him from liking me.” Kate dating Derek sure as hell didn't stop Stiles from trying to get Derek’s attention. Nathan knew it wasn’t going to happen but he was just a traumatized kid who needed a friend. Stiles was willing to be that rock for him even if Derek got jealous. “It’s not like he’s an alpha. What’s got your wolf all up and arms about it?”

Derek shook his head. “It’s nothing, don’t worry.”

Stiles shrugged and let it go. “I’ll stop by tomorrow after the rally, okay? You’ll wait for me?”

Derek pressed a kiss to the boy’s forehead. “Yeah, I’ll be waiting for you, baby.”

“Good, because I’m sure I’ll want to tell you all about it.”

 

* * *

 

Stiles was fidgety all day at school, waiting for the seconds to tick down. He had told Nathan that he’d pick him up after his last class and they’d go from there. Scott was happy that they were going but of course, like Derek, was a bit worried. Stiles reassured him that it would be fine and that he'd text him whenever he got home that night.

The utter happiness that Nathan displays made Stiles even more confident that this was a good idea. When the younger omega climbed in the car, he was radiating with excitement. He liked the idea of so many omegas standing toward as one and Stiles was right there with him.

“Is Derek mad?’ Nathan questioned a few minutes into the drive. Stiles hadn’t expected it so he gave Nathan a curious look. “I’m only asking because he was giving me the stink eye last night and I feel like he’s mad at me.”

Stiles rolled his eyes, silently cursing Derek for being so awful at concealing his emotions. “He’s not mad at you, Nate. He’s just-” he wasn’t sure how to explain why Derek was giving him looks without telling the truth so he finished off with, “Derek.”

That made Nathan giggle softly and then went quiet again. “I just don’t want to get in between you two.”

“You’re not. Don’t worry about him, okay?”

Nathan nodded. “Thanks for coming with me.”

Stiles turned his face for a brief moment and grinned. “I like you, Nate, you’re good company.” It took the sound of the omega’s heart skipping for Stiles to realize how bad a choice those words were. His cheeks turned pink in embarrassment as he directed his attention back on the road and not on Nathan’s beating heart. He’d deal with the consequences later but right now, he just wanted to have a nice time.

When they got to the rally, Stiles wasn’t sure what to expect. Neither of them had ever been to one before so the shock of the immense amount of people was enough to throw him off. They had to park at least two miles away and walk to where everyone was crowded. There was hundreds of people lining the street and sidewalk with signs and posters held above their heads.

“Should we have made one?” Nathan asked as soon as he noticed. He looked a little disappointed. “I didn’t know we were supposed to make one.”

Stiles looked around, eyes quickly finding what he was looking for. He grabbed for Nathan’s hand, which was a bad idea in retrospect but it was too late, and pulled him toward his destination.

“Come on,” he encouraged, dragging him toward the convenience store on the corner. “We still have time to make one.” Nathan’s eyes lit up as he followed Stiles into the store. They grabbed markers and poster board, slapping them onto the counter to pay. The beta gave raised her eyebrows at them as she checked them out but said nothing else. Stiles thanked her, grabbing their supplies and Nathan then fleeing the store.

It was difficult to find any sidewalk space to place the posters but eventually, Stiles found a spot. Nathan settled down on the ground next to him and grabbed a marker. However, neither of them knew what to write.

“Uh, what’s a good sign?” Nathan questioned, looking perplexed. “Omegas rule, alphas drool?” he laughed at his own joke while Stiles just shook his head, trying to suppress his grin. Not all alphas sucked but it was funny nonetheless.

“Maybe something a little less offensive?” Stiles suggested, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. “You know like, omegas rule just like betas and alphas!”

Nathan actually cackled at that. “‘Cause that’s catchy!”

Stiles laughed too, holding his hands up in his defense. “Just a suggestion.”

“How about **Equal Rights for Everyone**? Generic but straight to the point.”

Stiles nodded. “Sounds good to me! What should mine be?”

“ **Fight like an omega** ,” Nathan answered happily, looking pleased with himself. “I like that one; you should use it.”

Stiles pulled out a black marker and stared at the board. “I like it too.” He began to write it in big block letters, remembering all the harsh words Tyler had ever spoken to him. He’d fight like an omega if Tyler ever touched him again. Not like an alpha or even a beta, he’d fight like himself because he was proud of who he was.

Once they were done, they both stood up with proud smiles on their faces. They rejoined the crowd just before the march began. Stiles wasn’t sure what to expect once it started. Part of him thought it was going to be like those protests he had seen in textbooks with angry people, rioting for what they believed. The other part of him prayed it wouldn’t be that way. Omegas didn’t need a bad name anymore so than they already did.

It wasn’t like that at all. There were angry people but nobody that broke out into a riot. People just shouted, tried to make their voices heard above the rest. At first, neither Nathan nor Stiles shouted, they just marched with their signs above their hands but the further they walked, the more they wanted to scream. Stiles was pretty sure it was the old man who threw a bottle at the crowd that set him off because he was screaming.

“Omega rights are here to stay!” Stiles chanted along with the crowd. “Omega rights are here to stay!”

Nathan joined him and the crowd a few seconds later. The small omega had some lungs on him as well. Stiles looked over at him mid chant and admired him in a non creepy way, just watching him get so into the chant. It was nice to seem him standing up for something he believed in.

They were strong omegas, each and every one of them, strong together. As long as they remained a united front, nobody would be able to touch them. They marched for Carter, the omega who had died too young. They marched for all of the omegas in their self defense class who had feared for their lives at one point just because they presented differently. And they marched for themselves.

 

* * *

 

After the rally, Stiles’s feet hurt in such a horrible way. He knew they hurt for a good reason but he really didn’t want to walk another two miles back to his car. Nathan suggested getting a bite to eat before heading back home and Stiles agreed. It was only eight at night and technically the gym didn’t close until nine so he didn’t need to be back quite yet. Plus, he enjoyed spending time with Nathan.

They sat down in a coffee shop so Stiles could kick his feet up for a while. Nathan sat across from him and instead of pulling of his phone like Stiles expected, he watched Stiles curiously.

“Thank you for coming with me,” he finally spoke, softly as always. “I really appreciate it.”

Stiles smiled. “Yeah, of course, dude. I wanted to come.”

“I know,” he replied. “I just think it’s really nice to spend time with someone who gets me. It’s hard at school since nobody really knows what happened to me. I never told anyone until I went to Derek’s gym. The only people who really know are my parents and even they don’t get it all the time.”

“Don’t get what?” Stiles questioned curiously. He couldn’t imagine a parent not understanding a child’s fear of those who attacked them in an alley.

“They don’t get why I didn’t report them after I got attacked or why I’m not going to therapy even though I have nightmares most nights. They said it’s like I don’t want to help myself get better. I do though, I just want to do it on my own.”

“You didn’t even see the people who attacked you, Nate. How do they expect you to report them?” Stiles had seen each of the faces that attacked him and he still didn’t report them.

“I saw certain things, things that could have helped but I didn’t want to go through with any of it. I just wanted to heal and forget about it but that’s not what happened. I woke up and I was still broken.”

“Nate,” Stiles said sympathetically.

“I am broken,” Nathan admitted without shame. “Those alphas broke me and I’m still putting the pieces back together, slowly but surely. But things like this, things like you, help me feel like I’m not so broken.”

Stiles wasn’t sure how to respond. He knew he needed to address the elephant in the room that was Nathan’s crush on him but he also hated seeing Nathan’s broken spirit and he didn’t want to break it more. He had convinced himself that it wasn’t such a big deal but in retrospect, it was. Even though Nathan knew Stiles was with Derek, there was probably still an inkling of hope.

“It’s okay to be broken,” Stiles replied once he collected his thoughts. “There’s nothing wrong with it. As long as you find a way to put the pieces back together, however slow you want, then you’re making progress in the right direction.”

Nathan nodded and reached for Stiles’s hand resting on the table. Stiles took it because it didn’t have to mean anything more than a platonic, comforting hand. He didn’t need to make it anything more than it was. They stayed like that for a few moments, no words spoken between the two of them but that was okay.

“Do you mind if I give my parents a call?” Nathan asked, squeezing Stiles’s hand before releasing it. “They get worried and I told them I’d call after the rally was finished.”

“Go for it,” Stiles answered. He wanted to call Derek anyway. Other than feeling like a gigantic dick for not inviting him, he also missed his voice.

He waited until Nathan got up and walked outside the coffee shop before pulling his phone out. He pulled up Derek’s name and waited for him to pick up on the other line. It rang and it rang until it went to voicemail. Stiles frowned unhappily. He figured Derek could have been busy closing up but it still made his heart sink a little. Maybe he was actually mad at him.

The voicemail beep came a second later and Stiles sighed.

“Hey, Der,” he started quietly. “Just calling to check in and stuff. Wanted to know how it was going?” He went quiet, still recording the message. He felt guilty for not inviting Derek, for acting like an asshole when Derek was just being nice and protective. “Uh, look, I’m really sorry for how I acted yesterday. I should have invited you because you’re into omega rights too. I know I should have said something earlier, not after the rally is over but I just wanted to apologize. I miss you, Der. I guess I’ll see you tonight when I get back, okay?”

The _I love you_ sat on his tongue, wanting to be said but knowing it wasn’t appropriate to say over the phone for the first time. He loved Derek, had always loved him but he had never told him. When he was a pup, it would have seemed weird to confess his undying love and then Derek left and he never got a chance to say it. But now, Derek was here and he was Stiles’s for the time being.

Nathan returned and told Stiles that his mom wanted him home. Stiles didn’t mind, considering he wanted to get back to Derek as soon as possible. He just wanted to feel the alpha against his skin, have him hold him for a little while. His omega was being needy as hell although so was the rest of Stiles.

The drive home took longer than the drive there had. Construction, traffic and car accidents riddled the streets until it was stop and go, making Stiles wish he could have taken the backroads. Nathan squirmed in the front seat on and off. At first, Stiles hardly noticed but eventually, when the squirming came paired with signs of distress, Stiles noticed.

“You okay?” he asked softly. There was a breeze outside, enough to cool the car down even while they weren’t moving fast, however, Nathan was sweating. “You don’t look so hot, Nate.”

The younger omega made a noise and curled up even more. Traffic was at a standstill again, leaving the flow of air in the car almost nonexistent. That was how Stiles smelled it, the unfamiliar yet strong smell of heat. His eyes widened at that realization,

“Shit, Nate? Are you due for a heat?”

Nate shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

Stiles remembered, foolishly, that Nathan had just presented a year ago. His heats were still infrequent and unpredictable. One of the many reasons Stiles had chosen to go on suppressants right after he presented. The first year or two of heats were inconsistent and random. Some months, heats would be short and quick, almost like a rut, over in a day but some months, they’d be the full length of three days and they’d be hard.

Stiles tried to keep his cool. It wasn’t like he was an alpha that was going to be triggered by his heat. He was on suppressants so his own heat couldn’t be triggered either but they were stuck on a freeway with nothing to help him.

“I need to go to a clinic,” Nathan groaned, arching slightly in the seat. Stiles smelled the slick that wet his jeans and crinkled his nose. He never understood why alphas were so turned on by it. It smelled sweet but it wasn’t the best smell in the world.

“A clinic?” Stiles questioned once the words registered.

“It’s the only place I feel safe,” Nathan replied. “It’s secure and free, plus they have _things_ to help you get through the heat. It’s better than writhing around on my bed in fear of some alpha smelling me and breaking in.”

“Okay, we’ll find the closest clinic and get you there, okay?”

Nathan’s eyes found his, a desperate look in them. Stiles still remembered what the onset of a heat felt like even though he hadn’t had one in so long but he knew it was uncomfortable. First, the slick started, in small amounts but wetting the back of the underwear nonetheless. Then the cramping would come, right in the core as the body prepared itself for a breeding and it only got worse from there.

“If you, uh, if you need to touch yourself, it’s okay,” Stiles muttered, blushing hot and red at the thought of the omega fingering himself in the front seat. It was nothing to be ashamed of, especially in heat but still.

Nathan shook his head. “I’d rather not.”

“Whatever you want. I’ll get you there as fast as I can, okay? Just, you know, takes some deep breathes.” Nathan had way more experience dealing with heats than Stiles did despite his age. Even though he was young, he probably knew how to deal with the desperation better than Stiles.

“T-thanks,” he mumbled, closing his eyes.

Stiles grew increasingly more aggravated at the traffic as time went by. He just wanted to get Nathan somewhere safe. The omega’s heat was hitting faster than Stiles anticipated and he was quickly becoming more desperate for touch. Stiles remembered that sometimes omega on omega touch helped ease the heat a little, not as much as an alpha would but they didn’t have an alpha.

“Give me your hand, Nate,” Stiles instructed, keeping one hand on the steering wheel and the other held out for the omega. Nathan’s trembling hand reached out and clasped onto his. He shuddered as soon as their hands touched and whimpered.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what? You have nothing to be sorry for, Nate.”

“You don’t even like me and I’m in heat in your car and all I want is for someone to touch me.”

Stiles took a deep breathe. “You’re a really great person, Nate. And one day, you’re going to find an alpha who really likes you and you’re going to forget all about me. I know it seems like the world sucks and nothing good is ever going to happen but it will. You know, I’ve been in love with Derek since I was just a pup. He didn’t even notice me for years and then one day, he just did. What I’m saying is, there’s going to be someone who loves you and won’t ever make you feel like second pick. You just have to hold out for them.”

Nathan’s eyes turned watery and Stiles’s heart clenched, thinking he had hurt him with his words. “Thank you, Stiles. I know I’ve made things awkward between us sometimes and-”

Stiles took advantage of the stop they were in and leaned forward toward Nathan. He brought his forehead to his own and felt the omega tremble underneath him. He went quiet and pliant in Stiles’s grip.

“You, Nate, are amazing and strong and I promise you that one day, someone is going to walk into your life and totally change it in such a good way. They’re going to think you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to them and they’re going to be right.”

Nathan made a whimpering noise, panting in between the space between their heads. This close, Stiles could smell how strong the heat was. Nathan could get away with not touching himself if he truly desired it but it tended to make the heat longer and rougher. He didn’t want to see this boy suffer anymore than he already did.

“I want you to climb into the back seat and do whatever you need, okay? Don’t think about the seats or anything else that makes you feel bad. Just do what you need and I’ll get you to a clinic as soon as possible.”

Nathan nodded, slowly and painfully until Stiles pulled back. He listened to Stiles’s orders and dragged himself into the backseat, groaning by the time he fell against the seat. Stiles turned up the radio so that the noise drowned out whatever Nathan needed to do. He didn’t want him to be more embarrassed than he was.

“Thank you,” Nathan mumbled again. “Thank you for being a good friend.”

“I’m always going to be here for you, Nate. Don’t you ever doubt that.”

 

* * *

 

Stiles finally got Nathan to a heat clinic. The omega was still coherent, which Stiles was thankful for. He helped him inside the well lit, sterilized area where a heat nurse asked them to sign in. Stiles helped him write his name and information down on the paper.

“Do you want a heat partner, sweetheart?” the kind beta nurse asked Nathan. Stiles knew they offered them at certain clinics. Trained alphas who could control themselves in the presence of an in-heat omega. They were usually on some form of suppressant to minimize the risk of pregnancy but still be able to give the omegas what they needed. An average omega usually needed a knot, fake or real but some needed a knot and an alpha’s come to stop the heat.

“I don’t know,” Nathan muttered. “How does it work?”

Stiles wanted to tell him that it wasn’t a good idea, fear of alphas and all but he wanted to let Nathan pick on his own. If he was compatible with a heat partner, that was good.

“You can pick from a selection of our professional heat trained alphas and have them help you through the length of your heat. Each of our alphas are specifically trained to be able to control themselves in the presence of an omega in heat so you don’t need to be worried about that. They’re also trained to help you through your heat in whatever way you’d like. Actual intercourse is not required so if it makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to do it.”

Nathan blinked heavily like he was trying to focus on the words. “C-can I see the alphas?”

“One of our alphas is currently here if you’d like to meet him. If not, our others are on call and can be here momentarily.”

“I’d like to meet him.”

The beta smiled and nodded, standing to go retrieve the alpha. Stiles held Nathan’s body upright when the omega began to go weak in the knees.

“Are you sure about this?” Stiles asked cautiously. “You don’t have to do this.”

Nathan shook his head. “I just want someone next to me, to hold me. That’s all. I've never had a partner before. Maybe it makes it easier?”

Stiles understood. Heats were hard whenever an omega was alone. Even if an alpha just held them, it decreased the pain that came with a heat. He’d make sure Nathan was 100 percent okay with the alpha before he left him but other than that, it wasn’t his decision. If Nathan wanted to have the alpha fuck him, then Stiles had no say.

The beta returned with the alpha, ushering Stiles and Nathan into the next room, out of the waiting room. The alpha was tall with dark hair. He reminded Stiles of Scott which was strange but he wasn’t the one who was spending his heat with him.

“This is Jupiter,” the beta nurse introduced. “He’s eighteen and has been working with us for six months.”

Nathan looked up at the alpha and trembled. Stiles immediately went to take a step back with him, thinking the tremble was because he was scared. Nathan, however, took a step forward out of Stiles’s arms. Jupiter stood his ground, which Stiles appreciated. He waited until Nathan came to him.

“What’s your name?” Jupiter questioned softly.

“N-Nate,” Nathan answered.

Jupiter smiled and held out his hand. “Nate, would you like to scent me?” Scenting was appropriate and common in these situations. It helped the omega determine if the alpha was the correct heat partner for them. If they didn’t like their scent or found something off, then they didn’t select them.

Nathan just nodded and stepped into the alpha’s space. Jupiter guided Nathan’s nose right toward the scent gland on his neck. The omega breathed in deeply, nuzzling further when he smelled something he liked. He whimpered, knees buckling again but Jupiter was prepared. The alpha held his body flush against his own.

“It’s okay, pup,” Jupiter whispered soothingly.

Stiles still wasn’t sure about the situation but it was Nathan’s heat.

“You s-smell good,” Nathan whimpered, pressing closer. “ _Alpha._ ”

Jupiter smiled again, rubbing the back of Nathan’s neck soothingly. “Your choice. Whatever you want. I’m here for you if you so choose.” He must have liked the way Nathan smelled as well because he wasn’t letting go.

“C-can you just hold me?” Nathan articulated a moment later. “N-nothing more, please. Just want someone to hold me and talk me through it.”

Jupiter nodded. “I can do that. Nothing more.”

Nathan whimpered needily. “Thank you.”

“Jupiter, you can take him to room three. I’ll get his paperwork settled.”

“Wait,” Stiles interjected, stepping closer to the alpha. “If you hurt him or so much as touch him inappropriately, I will have this place closed down and have you in jail, got it?” He wasn’t messing around. He didn’t like the idea of sending Nathan into a room with a random alpha, despite how nice the guy seemed.

“I believe you,” Jupiter said easily. “But I’ll take care of him, I swear. My patients are my top priority.”

The beta gave him a reassuring smile. “I promise he’ll be taken care of. All of the rooms are monitored just in case an omega changes his or her mind. Jupiter is well trained and won’t do anything Nathan doesn’t wish. He’ll be safe.”

Nathan turned in Jupiter’s arms and gave Stiles a sleepy smile. “I’ll be okay, Stiles. Just want someone to hold me. I-I’ll call you whenever it’s over, okay?”

Stiles nodded. There was no fear in Nathan’s scent, nothing sinister in the alpha’s either. He was trained for this like the beta said so Stiles needed to trust him. “Can you, maybe, call and update me within the next day or two. Just so I know how he’s doing?”

The beta nurse smiled. “Of course we can, sweetheart. Your friend is in good hands.” Jupiter and Nathan walked into the backrooms, away from Stiles’s view. “Jupiter is one of the customer favorites here. I promise he won’t do anything your friend doesn’t want. We take consent here very seriously.”

“Good to know.”

“If I could have you fill out some paperwork for him since you brought him in, that would be wonderful.”

Stiles could only trust that Jupiter would take care of Nathan.

 

* * *

 

Stiles arrived at the gym a whole lot later than he intended to. With the traffic getting to the heat clinic and filling out the paperwork, he was at least an hour and a half later than when the gym closed. As he pulled in, he worried Derek wasn’t going to be there. He wouldn’t have blamed him if he had left. Luckily, his car was still there when Stiles parked.

The door was unlocked whenever he pulled it, a classic Derek move. The man hardly had any regard for his own safety. Stiles stepped inside and immediately located a sleeping Derek lying on a gym mat. He smiled, walking slowly and quietly toward the alpha. He looked so cute when he slept.

Stiles knelt down next to the mat, leaning in to give Derek a kiss when the alpha’s eyes shot open, red and vicious. Before Stiles could even comprehend what was happening, Derek had him flipped over onto the mat on his back. His weight held him in place, disabling any movement.

“D-Der?” Stiles trembled, realizing he had taken Derek by surprise.

Derek’s eyes flashed back to their normal light green as he recognized that Stiles was hardly a threat. A whoosh of air went through his body and he immediately looked guilty.

“Stiles, you scared the shit out of me!”

Stiles grinned awkwardly. “My bad. Sorry I’m late.”

Derek nuzzled closer to Stiles’s scent glands, taking most of his weight and placing it on his forearms opposed to Stiles’s skinny body. “It’s okay, you’re here now. How was it?”

“It was really good, I wish you could have been there. I’m sorry I was such an ass about it.” Derek didn’t respond. “Der?”

The alpha growled throatily above him and Stiles tensed. It wasn’t a threatening growl but more of an aroused sound that reminded Stiles of how Derek sounded during his rut.

“Why do you smell like heat?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since you all loved Jupiter so much, I brought him back:) (Let's be honest, I loved him too)  
> Now I have this desire to write a small interlude from Nate's point of view during his heat with Jupiter.  
> Anyway, next chapter will contain smut and jealous!Derek. Let me know if you want to see something specific during the long awaited scene!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For those of you interested in what happened during Nate's heat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're not interested in reading Nate's interlude, feel free to skip. It's not necessary to read for the plot, just mainly to satisfy my need to see Nate happy and fluffy.
> 
> PS. most definitely not proofread.

Nathan’s Interlude

  
Nathan’s first thought about Jupiter was that he smelled like home. It made his knees weak and his hole flutter needily. Whatever he felt was strange and unknown and he wasn’t sure how to deal with it. His omega wanted Jupiter to bend him over and knot him so full but part of him was still fearful. Jupiter smelled kind and safe but Nathan couldn’t help the small bit of fear that the alphas left behind inside him.

  
Jupiter laid him on the bed, pulling the blanket over his trembling body as soon as they entered the small, hotel like room. There was a bed and a TV with a mini fridge below it. A bathroom, or what Nathan assumed was a bathroom, was to the right of a dresser labeled **Supplies**. Nathan’s naive mind wondered what could have been in it. Jupiter stepped back, readying himself to take a seat in the chair opposite of the bed, until Nathan let out a whimper. There were some things he couldn’t control during his heat and his noises was one of them. More experienced omegas had their heats down to a tee but Nathan had only experienced a handful in his first year as an omega.

  
“It’s okay,” Jupiter cooed, returning to the bedside before Nathan could protest anymore. “Do you want me on the bed?”

  
“Y-yeah,” Nathan voiced. “J-just not too close.”

  
Jupiter frowned slightly but followed the omega’s directions. He climbed on the bed, keeping a safe distance in between the two. Nathan appreciated his thoughtfulness. Whenever he had agreed to take on a heat partner, he had only done it because he thought it would help him feel better. He wanted Jupiter to make him feel better.

  
“Okay, Nate. I need to ask you a few questions before we, you know, get too far into the heat. Are you okay to answer them?”

  
Nathan nodded.

  
“As your underage, we don’t tend to recommend intercourse. There’s various ways we suggest before resorting to intercourse.” Nathan wanted to giggle at the way Jupiter said intercourse, so professional and clinical coming out of an eighteen year old's mouth. “Since you’ve already told me what you’d like, I just have one more question for you. Is there anything specific that is off limits to you, completely non negotiable? I need to know before you go deeper into your heat.”

  
“No other alphas,” he whispered just barely. “I don’t want anyone else, please. A-and I need to be the one who,” he blushed, “touches myself. Not you, even if I beg, okay?” That wasn’t why he got a heat partner. He knew how to take care of his heats on his own, albeit they were pretty hard to deal with, he still managed.

  
“Of course. No touching.”

  
“No,” Nathan blurted. “You can touch me, I need you to touch me at some point, but no more than that.”

  
“Okay, so only comforting touches, no touching below the waist and no other alphas, is that correct?” Nathan nodded, eyes squeezed shut through a painful wave of cramping. He panted gently, urging it to stop.

  
Jupiter looked pained when Nathan opened his eyes, as if he was controlling himself, preventing himself from moving to aid Nathan through the wave. Nathan knew it must have been hard to be in the presence of an omega to begin with and then have one who wouldn’t allow comfort. He craved the comfort, craved the alpha’s touch but he needed to be able to trust Jupiter first.

  
“What about toys?”

  
Nathan made a strangled, shocked noise. “W-what about them?”

  
“Would you like to use them during the duration of your heat? We do suggest them if you’ll be forging intercourse.”

  
Nathan groaned, rolling his eyes at the way Jupiter spoke. “Please, Jupiter. Speak like a normal person. You’re not my doctor, you’re my heat partner. Just say sex. I’m young but I’m not innocent. And yes, I’d like to use them,” he mumbled the last sentence, trying not to be embarrassed.

  
Jupiter let out a nervous laugh and apologized under his breath.

  
“W-why are you doing this?” Nathan questioned softly, gentle eyes staring directly into Jupiter’s.

  
“Helping you?”

  
Nathan shook his head. “Being a heat partner. Do you do it for the sex?” Because, if he did, Nathan would much rather suffer through his heat alone. Jupiter wasn’t going to be getting anything out of him.

  
Jupiter chuckled and Nathan frowned. “It's not for the sex, pup. I do it because I like helping people. I'm not just a heat partner. I only do this job part time, night shifts mainly.”

  
Nathan made a funny look. “What else do you do?”

  
“I'm going to school,” Jupiter answered. “Full time student, trying to be an omega defense lawyer.”

  
Nathan nodded understandingly. “So this job is just for the money?”

  
Jupiter shook his head, sighing quietly. “The money is an added bonus but I'm doing this because I care. I've watched too many omegas suffer through horrible things, unbearable heats. I want to be here for those who don't have anyone else. It's just professional though. The sex, I mean.”

  
Nathan thought that was good at least. Despite how good he smelled and how much Nathan wanted to present to him, he was glad it was only going to be professional. Anyone else in this situation would have made Nathan uncomfortable but Jupiter was a certified heat partner.

  
“Are you going to stay the whole time?” His heats usually lasted three days, the first was just annoying and persistent, the second was the worst day and by the third, it usually calmed.

  
“If that's what you'd like. Anything that happens is up to you. If you change your mind about intercourse-”

  
Nathan frantically shook his head. “N-no, I don't want that,” he trembled, “please.”  
Jupiter’s face softened sympathetically.

“It's okay, pup. Take a deep breath. We aren't going to do anything you don't want. I promise I won't touch you unless you explicitly say so.”

  
Nathan took a deep breath. “Thank you.”

  
Jupiter smiled genuinely. “Yeah, of course.”

  
Nathan kind of hated himself for being so frightened. It had been months since his attack but he couldn't get over the feeling that he was still vulnerable. Being in heat made him more vulnerable than ever. He prayed that Jupiter would stay true to his word.

  
Another wave hit him harder than the last and he gasped, curling against himself. He felt the slick trickling out of his hole making his thighs wetter and stickier. The desperate need to touch himself was nagging at him uncomfortably.

  
“J-Jupiter?”

  
“Yeah, pup?”

  
“Can you, uh,” he heard the alpha's heart skip, “help me into the shower?” He desperately wanted to wash the slick from his inner thighs. And he needed some alone time to maybe take care of his need.

  
“Yeah, oh yeah,” Jupiter said, quickly jumping to his feet. He reached out for Nathan to help him off the bed but stopped halfway, pausing. “Can I touch you?”

  
“Yeah,” Nathan mumbled, aching for it but not wanting to seem to eager. The first touch of Jupiter’s hand on his skin send violent shivers through his body. The alpha helped him onto his feet, the movement causing more slick to wet his boxers. He cringed, knowing Jupiter was very aware of every smell in the room.

  
Jupiter didn’t say a word, slowly guiding Nathan to the bathroom. It was bright compared to the dimly lit room and it made Nathan stumble a little as his eyes adjusted. Jupiter steadied him, although he allowed him to lean most of his weight on his body. The scent on his skin was so overwhelming that Nathan found himself shoving his nose near the gland again. He whined, unable to stop the sound from coming out of his throat. Jupiter’s body, as clothed as it was, felt nice against Nathan’s warm cheek.

  
“Alright, pup, let’s get you under some cool water.” Jupiter turned the water on with one hand and held Nathan with his other. He tested the water before resting Nathan against the side of the bathtub, adjacent from the shower. “Do you need help with your clothes?”

  
Nathan shook his head dizzily. He wasn’t ready for Jupiter to see him naked yet. It was going to happen at some point during his heat, especially once it got bad and clothes irritated his skin but he wanted to wait until the last moment.

  
“I’ll be outside the door if you need me, okay?”

  
Nathan nodded. “Thanks.”

  
Jupiter stepped out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. It took Nathan a few more seconds to convince himself to get up from the tub. He slowly began to peel his clothes from his skin, wincing whenever they stuck more than he appreciated. His boxers were the last article of clothing he removed and he was more than disgusted by them. He left the clothes in a pile and climbed into the shower, gasping at the temperature difference between his body and the water. It felt good once his body adjusted.

  
He remembered why he had asked to be taken to the shower and that was to clean himself and deal with the ache in his core. He rested his forehead against the cool tile wall and let his hand drift down slowly. It made him shiver as he got closer to the place where all the attention was needed. He had done this before during his first year of heats so he knew exactly where and what needed to be touched to slow the burning pain.

  
Being an omega never brought him much shame but heats always did. Some omegas were needy and needed constant touch and sex and while Nathan saw zero shame in that, he wasn’t like that. His heats were a bitch but they were only three days and most of the time he could suck it up and deal.

  
Nathan had to stifle a desperate moan when his fingers brushed against his dripping hole. It fluttered under the touch, seeking something out that it wasn’t going to get. He rubbed at the slickened area, applying a little pressure until the tip pushed inside. It was easy to get two in since he was open. Anymore than that was going to take some coaxing.

  
Within a few minutes, Nathan had two slim fingers pumping in and out of his body. He was panting and moaning against his arm, biting down gently against his skin when it was too much. He wasn’t nearly as full as he wanted to be even after managing to push three fingers inside. It gave him a decent stretch but he craved so much more and this was only the start.

  
At some point, he wasn’t sure how much time had passed because he was lost in pleasure, he nudged his fingers against his prostate, grazing the sweet spot inside of him. He hadn’t expected it so he cried out, unable to keep the noise down to a whimper. It only made him thrust his fingers harder and seek the spot out again and again. A few seconds later, after he managed to frantically wrap his hand around his aching cock, he was coming. A rush of relief washed through his body as the come was washed down the drain, his fingers still pumping in and out, although much slower. He continued to let out small whimpers as the aftershock of his orgasm went through his body.

  
“Nate?” Jupiter’s voice called before the door opened. Nathan’s heart skipped a beat and he yanked his fingers out in a panic, leaving his hole clenching around nothing. He leaned up against the wall, catching his breath before he answered.

  
“Y-yeah?”

  
“I left a towel and some clothes on the sink counter,” he cleared his throat, “but take your time.”

  
“Thank you,” Nathan replied, knowing Jupiter could smell everything, even his embarrassment.

  
There was a pause before Jupiter spoke again. “Don't be embarrassed, pup. I'm here to help you, not to judge you.”

  
Nathan stood under the water and waited until the door shut again signaling Jupiter’s exit. He wanted to dig himself a deep hole and curl up inside of it. Not only was Jupiter gorgeous, he was incredibly nice to Nathan in a way no other alpha had ever been. He reminded Nathan of Stiles with everything his omega craved as well. Nathan's omega side didn't want Stiles but that hadn't stopped him from having a crush.

  
Eventually, Nathan convinced himself to step out of the water. He put on the new clothes that were waiting, made out of a soft cotton material that didn't make his skin so irritated. Part of him felt guilty for ruining the clothes with his slick but he knew they were made specially for heats, as were the sheets on the bed. This was a heat clinic after all.

  
He reentered the bedroom to find Jupiter lounging on the chair, watching something play on the TV. Jupiter looked up as Nathan wandered over to the bed again. Despite relieving himself in the shower, his body was still trembling with quiet need. He was also incredibly tired, the heat draining him of what little energy he had after the rally.

  
“Jupiter?” he called after closing his eyes.

  
“Yeah?” He heard the alpha stand up and come closer to the bed. When Nathan didn't answer right away, Jupiter drew closer, his scent clouding Nathan's senses. The omega moaned, subconsciously moving toward the scent, yet Jupiter still didn't touch him.  
The scent was calming the need inside of him and he wanted to latch onto it. He needed to get some sleep before his heat peaked but he wanted someone to hold him.

  
“C-can you hold me?” Nathan finally caved, giving into what he wanted. “Just until I fall asleep, please?”

  
“Whatever you need, pup.” Nathan felt the covers lifting over his body as Jupiter climbed underneath them. He pulled Nathan to his chest, easing his head down right over his heart. Nathan trembled, feeling his hole pulse as he breathed in lungful of alpha. It made everything worse and yet so much better.

  
“Mmm, thank you.”

  
Jupiter's fingers brushed through the boy’s hair so sweetly. “Would you like me to talk to you?”

  
Nathan nodded. He liked the sound of Jupiter's voice.

  
“Alright, well once upon a time,” Jupiter started which made Nathan giggle sleepily. “I'm just kidding. What do you wanna know?”

  
“You,” Nathan murmured against his chest. “Tell me about you.”

  
“My favorite color is orange; I became an omega heat partner the day I turned eighteen. I come from a family of all alphas, two sisters, one brother. They all supported my decision to work here, although they thought it was strange. My brother thought I was doing it for the sex too. But honestly, the sex was the last thing on my mind when I applied. Like I said before, I just want to help. Alphas have done their fair share of shitty things throughout history so I wanted to be one that did some good.” Nathan's eyes grew heavier and heavier but he wanted to listen to Jupiter. Jupiter took notice.

“Sleep, Nate. I'll be here when you wake up.”

  
So Nate slept.

 

* * *

  
Whenever Nate woke up, he felt like utter shit. His body was on fire, worse than it has been the previous night. Not only that but his boxers stuck to his ass again and he had the hardest boner he had ever had in his life. And it was pressed against Jupiter's thigh.

  
He gasped, backing away until his back hit the wall. Jupiter jolted awake, eyes wide with panic and concern. His nostrils flared due to the strong smell in the room. The sudden movement had cause Nathan's stomach to clench painfully. He cried out softly, bracing himself until the cramp finished. Jupiter remained where he was on the bed, although he looked desperate to comfort.

  
“I'm sorry,” Nathan mumbled, ashamed of himself even though he didn't need to be. Jupiter had gone through this many times with different omegas. Surprisingly, that thought made Nathan unusually jealous.

  
Jupiter eyed his body quickly before redirecting them back to his face. Nathan was hard and achy, clear as day to an alpha. He was reaching his peak faster than he liked.

  
“There's nothing to be sorry about, Nate. This is perfectly normal. Every omega experiences different kinds of heats.”

  
Nathan wished he was one of those omegas who could still do day to day activities without much pause. All those omegas had to worry about was remembering to put their scent blockers on before they left. He prayed his heats would get easier after another year or two. Maybe he'd go on those fancy suppressants omega rights activists were trying so hard to make free for all omegas.

  
“Hey,” Jupiter called, catching Nathan’s attention. “At least if you’re peaking already, the heat will be shorter. You’ll be able to leave mid afternoon tomorrow. It’s a good thing.”

  
Nathan nodded because it was a good thing. He wanted this heat over as quickly as possible so he could continue to go about his life. Lucky for him, his heat fell on a weekend this time so he didn’t have to miss any school. Although, school and work were obligated by law to give omega three days of heat sick days every month.

  
“Could you just,” Nathan took a breath, “turn the TV on for a while. I’ll let you know when I peak.”

  
Jupiter nodded and turned the TV on, the noise filling the room so there wasn’t so much awkward silence. Nathan reached over for Jupiter’s hand, needing some skin on skin contact while he lied there. Jupiter smiled and laced his fingers through Nathan’s. His omega was mewling inside, greedy for more contact. Nathan ignored the need.

  
Peaking during a heat was a gradual thing, something that could be ignored for a while, like a slow burn. Whenever Nathan’s heat finally peaked, he was half asleep on the bed, around mid afternoon. Jupiter had gotten him to eat something from the mini fridge and hydrated him enough so he wouldn’t pass out. It was usually something he managed to do on his own but since there was another person whose sole job was to take care of him, he allowed it to happen.

  
“Jupe-” Nathan called out, feeling worse than before. “Jupiter, please.”

  
Jupiter, who had been in the bathroom, quickly opened the door and took one look at Nathan. He nodded, almost to himself, and went over to the cabinet labeled Supplies. Once Nathan got a look at what was inside, he blushed furiously. There were various forms of sex toys, all wrapped up in sealed packages with labelings.

  
“Do you know what size knot you need?”  
“W-what?” Nathan stammered. The one he had at home was a standard issued toy he was given at school by the nurse. He wasn’t aware that there were multiple sizes, although it made sense. Not all alphas had the same size knots.

  
Jupiter gave him a sympathetic smile. “It’s okay, let’s start with a two?”

  
“What’s a two?”

  
“The size. It’s one through four. Ones are usually saved for first time heats while fours are saved for those omegas who desperately need a knot to ease the heat. I think you’ll be satisfied with a two. We’ll go up if you need more.”

  
Nathan was going to combust.

  
“If you’d like me to leave at this time, I’ll go. I want you to be comfortable.”

  
“N-no,” Nathan mumbled, “no, I’d like you to stay. Just, maybe, turn around while I undress please.” Jupiter turned without hesitation and Nathan quickly shucked off his pants and boxers, now sticky with slick again. He left his shirt on, not wanting to be completely naked at the moment and crawled back under the covers. “Okay, you can turn.”

  
Jupiter approached the bed as Nathan arched slightly, the need growing quickly. The alpha unwrapped the dildo and held it out for Nathan to grab. He did so with a very shaky hand, not from the heat but rather from nerves.

  
“Will you need lube?”

  
Nathan paused, feeling like he was producing enough slick to last him many heats but knowing from his small amount of experience that a little lube never hurt anything. He grabbed the small bottle from Jupiter after he pulled it out of the cabinet and held both the toy and the lube out on the blanket.

  
“It's alright, pup. Do what you need.”  
Nathan shook his head. “I don't know what to do. I don't know.”

  
Jupiter's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “You've used a toy before during your heat right?”

  
“Yeah.”

  
“Then just do what you usually do. Don't mind me. I'm just have for moral support okay? Close your eyes if that helps any.”  
Nathan whimpered. “I can't.”

  
“Pup, it's no different than being at home.”

  
“I need you to talk to me,” Nathan said quietly. “And hold me.”

  
Jupiter moved toward the bed, cautiously like he was worried he'd scare Nathan. Once again, he climbed under the covers, this time to be confronted by Nathan's naked body. He didn't pause or act awkwardly when the omega's body touched his own and Nathan appreciated that.

  
“What should we talk about?”

  
“Need you to talk me through it,” Nathan whispered. The alpha telling him what to do would help him actually do it. It's what his omega wanted and heats were about appeasing an omega's needs so he gave in. “Just no alpha voice, please. I can't take that.”

  
“No alpha voice, I promise.” The room went quiet again, the only sounds being their breathing then Jupiter spoke again. “I want you to get yourself nice and open first.”

  
Nathan listened, moving one hand down to his slicked hole, and pressing inside. He was already so sensitive to any touch that he bucked, sending his two fingers deeper.

  
“There you go, that's good, pup.”

  
He closed his eyes, breathing in Jupiter's scent and imagining it was his fingers inside. It was mostly his omega thinking that but Nathan didn't really mind. Jupiter was comfort and home and beautiful. He didn't know him all that well yet but his scent was safe and he hadn't done anything to drive Nathan away.

  
“Don't hold back,” Jupiter instructed when Nathan but his lip to keep any noise from escaping. He whimpered softly, pressing in again and again. It felt so good that he didn't think he'd be able to stop but he was still very much lucid so he could if he needed.

  
“How many fingers?”

  
“T-two,” Nathan moaned.

  
“Okay, I want you to add a third one if you feel comfortable. Add some lube if you need.”

  
Nathan dragged his wet fingers out of his hole, the burning ache coming back within second. He panted against Jupiter's chest as his fingers searched for the lube he had placed in between them. Jupiter's fingers found it first and handed it to him. Sloppily, Nathan poured the liquid over his already wet fingers and brought them back to his hole. He gasped at the coolness clashing with the heat that radiated off of him but continued, pushing in.

  
“How's it feel?”

  
“So good,” Nathan mumbled, too focused on the slight stretch three fingers gave him. He wanted more. He need more. “Jupiter, I need-”

  
“Yeah, pup. Just give me a second, I'll get it ready for you.” Dignity sent out the window for both of them as Jupiter applied the lube to the length of the fake cock. Nathan was flushed and panting, undulating on his fingers desperately.

  
“Okay, it's right here. Take your fingers out, Nate.” Nathan followed the orders once again, nearly sobbing when he was empty again. But then the toy was there, pressing into his gaping hole. Jupiter transferred the solid weight to Nathan's hand. As much as Nate wanted Jupiter to use it on him, he accepted the toy and wrapped his shaking hand around it.

   
“Jupe-” Nathan gasped, dragging the length out and shoving it right back in. He had a hard time getting the angle the way he wanted and began to grow frustrated.

  
“Can I touch you?” Jupiter asked and then clarified himself. “Can I move you so it's easier?”

  
Nathan jerked his head in answer. Anything to make it easier. Jupiter slowly adjusted Nathan's body, dragging him up a little until his face rested in the crook of his neck. Nathan huffed, feeling his cock press against Jupiter's stomach. The pressure made him feel even closer to coming. Jupiter eases Nathan's thigh up so that one leg was angled higher than the other, opening him up more properly. It helped the toy slide in much easier and Nathan sighed in relief.

  
Nathan's hand was tired and shaking within a few minutes and continued to slip away from the toy. 

  
“Help,” Nathan whispered. “Please, Jupiter.”

  
“You told me-”

  
“I know,” Nathan cut him off. “I know what I said but I take it back. My hand hurts and the angle is weird. Please.” He knew he told Jupiter that touches like that, below the waist were off limits but it wasn’t like he was doing anything wrong. Jupiter just needed to help move the toy. He wouldn’t even be touching him.

  
“Nate,” Jupiter tried again.

  
“Please,” he begged again. 

  
“No, I won’t go against your original wishes,” his voice was strong and unwavering. “I'm right here for you, pup. Do you want to be on your hands and knees or your back?”

  
Nathan felt like crying, knowing it was just the dumb hormones that came with a heat. He just wanted Jupiter to hold him and touch him. It was so strange to not fear an alpha, to trust him to touch without pain.

  
“Which one will help more?”

  
“Hands and knees,” Jupiter answered. “It will help your omega feel more like you're, uh, presenting.”

  
Nathan blushed again but nodded. He eased himself up from Jupiter's chest, feeling wobbly. Jupiter followed him up, steadying his body before he toppled over. He kept a soft hand on the end of the toy to keep it inside Nathan but that was as far as he went. Nathan wanted him to thrust it inside but he didn't.

  
“Alright, pup. Spread your legs a little more for me. There you go, good,” he praised when Nathan listened. “Ease yourself down onto your forearms. It will make it easier to keep your balance. Good, now reach back, okay?”

  
Nathan reached back to where the toy was, pushing it in. The position made it so much better, nudging against his prostate with every thrust. He was already close to an orgasm without touching himself. Each thrust came with a cry of pleasure from Nathan's mouth.

  
“You're doing so well, pup.”

  
Nathan moaned, nodding his head. The position did make his omega feel more like he was presenting for his alpha despite Jupiter being up by his head rather than behind him. The praise kept him going, on the very edge of his orgasm.

  
“Jupiter!” he cried out, the knot slipping into his hole. His mouth opened in an inarticulate cry as he spasmed against the thick knot. The hand that wasn't currently busy reached for Jupiter's, pulling the alpha's body closer. He breathed in his scent, finding that it only made him come harder. His vision was going black from the strength of his orgasm but he couldn't stop. He kept pounding the toy against his prostate.

  
“Alpha,” he moaned without thinking. Then, without permission from his mouth or his brain, he said a word he never thought he'd say to an alpha. “My mate.” It was barely above a whisper but it was there.

  
Before Jupiter could react, Nathan collapsed against the damp sheets, finally consumed by the fire in his body.

 

* * *

 

  
Nathan came back to himself in small increments. His body was still on fire but slowly, he felt it dwindle, replaced by something cool surrounding his body. He tried to blink his eyes open but failed. Jupiter's scent was still so close so he knew the alpha hadn't left.

  
“Come back to me, Nate,” Jupiter instructed, sounding a little frantic. “Come on, pup.”

  
Nathan felt something wet drip down his face a moment later and made a confused expression. He struggled to listen to the alpha's order, desperately wanting to. At least he didn't feel so achy now.

  
“Nathan,” Jupiter called, using his full name for the first time. “Open your eyes.”

  
Nathan did, although it was hard to keep them open. A look of pure relief flooded Jupiter's expression all at once. He smiled after a moment and leaned against the edge of the tub. The tub, that was why Nathan’s body was cooler and wet.

  
“Welcome back,” Jupiter whispered.

  
“Where’d I go?” Nathan asked innocently which made Jupiter chuckle.

  
“You passed out.”

  
“Why am I in the tub?”

  
“You were practically on fire. I’ve dealt with bad heats before but shit, Nate. I thought your brain was going to melt with that temperature.” Jupiter brought a wet washcloth up to Nathan’s face and dabbed it over his forehead. It felt nice.  
“Sorry for scaring you.”

  
Jupiter rolled his eyes playfully. “I think your heat may have ended already. Doesn’t smell as strong.” 

  
“How?” Nathan’s heats usually lasted the full three days. There was no way he was done not even after 24 hours.

  
“I’m not sure but that’s good. Heats are irregular and inconsistent whenever you’re younger. You’ll probably need to orgasm a few more times before it officially ends but the hard part is over.”

  
Nathan nodded, thankful that it was close to being over. Despite having the best orgasm of his life, he was tired and quite frankly embarrassed. Not only had he called Jupiter his alpha but he had claimed him to be his mate as well. He prayed Jupiter hadn’t heard him, by some miracle but he doubted it.

  
“Do you always treat your clients like this?” Nathan questioned, referring to the bath and the extra concern.

  
Jupiter didn't say anything for a moment which worried Nathan. When he finally looked up, his eyes were soft but intense. “Only the ones who call me their mate.”  
Nathan wanted to drown in the tub. He instantly grew warmer despite the cold water. Whenever he tried to turn away, Jupiter caught him.

  
“Nuh uh,” he whispered. “Don't hide from me, Nate.”

  
“I'm sorry, it just slipped out. I wasn't thinking. It was just the heat. You're probably super creeped out! God, you probably think I'm a creep. I come screaming your name and then call you my mate!”

  
Jupiter waited patiently until he was done rambling. “Just for the record, you screaming my name was quite possibly the hottest thing I had ever experienced. Had you not passed out and killed my boner, I would have snuck into the bathroom to take care of it.”

  
Nathan gawked at him. “You're not creeped out?”

  
“Why would I be? You're beautiful, Nathan. The moment I took you into my arms, I could tell you were something different. Omega mates have different scents during heats; they pull the alpha closer. It's incredibly difficult to not want to scent you and mark you but I didn't want to frighten you.”

  
“Yeah, thanks,” Nathan murmured, not liking the idea of anyone sinking their teeth into his neck to mark him, not even Jupiter.

  
“You have nothing to be ashamed about, okay? If you don't want it to mean anything, it doesn't have to.” Nathan could tell the alpha was flat out lying to make him feel more comfortable. No alpha in their right mind gave up a mate, not when they were hard to find in the first place. Nathan just had weird luck.  
“And what if I want it to mean something?” Nathan asked timidly.

  
“Then we can start from the beginning like normal potential mates.”

  
“The beginning?”

  
“Hi, I'm Jupiter Young.” Jupiter held his hand out for Nathan to shake.

  
Nathan slowly grinned, reaching his hand out to meet Jupiter's in the middle. “Hi Jupiter. I'm Nathan Flynn, it's nice to meet you.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The moment you've all been waiting for:) After 17 chapters, I present to you: Chapter 18 (aka the chapter these two lovebirds finally get it on!)
> 
> There's not as much jealous Derek as I originally planned because I didn't want too much drama in this scene but there is 5,556 words of smut, multiple orgasms, a small amount of praise kink and a whole lot of fluffy and cuteness for Stiles's first time. 
> 
> Enjoy;)

“Well, uh, that's a good question,” Stiles mumbled, trying to come out with a good way to say Nathan want into heat on their way home without making Derek's wolf irrationally jealous. He wondered how he smelled to Derek, probably like he was nearing his own heat but they both knew that wasn't a thing. He could feel the effects of the smell pressing against his thigh. “Nate kind of went into heat after the rally.”

Derek growled softly, scenting him almost aggressively. He smelled like arousal and Nate and Derek’s wolf was probably pressing very close to the surface. Stiles bared his neck for the alpha, submitting under his touch. He knew how Derek got and he didn’t want to test it. They had already fought enough over Nate and everything else. Tonight, he just wanted it to be Derek and him, nothing else.

“I had to bring him to a heat clinic. That’s why I was late.” Stiles spread his legs a little more, helping Derek slot himself between them. Being away from the alpha, even for just the day, made Stiles greedy for his touch. Maybe it was the way Jupiter had treated Nathan that made him miss what he had.

Derek nodded and continued to scent him, gentler now. He took his time, brushing his scruff against Stiles’s neck, over and over again. Stiles didn’t expect him to speak since his wolf was so close to the surface. He was content with letting Derek do as he needed until he could calm down. It was a mix of protectiveness, jealousy and arousal that put Derek in the state he was in. Stiles could smell all his emotions.

“I’m sorry if I worried you,” Stiles whispered. He hadn’t meant to.

“I-it’s,” Derek stuttered through elongated teeth, “it’s okay.”

Stiles ran his hand through Derek’s hair, trying to sooth the alpha. Just because he wasn’t speaking, didn’t mean Stiles wasn’t aware of how he felt. He had always known how Derek felt, from the day they met. A wolf thing, most people would say but Stiles knew, deep down, he knew it was more.

“I’m sorry,” Derek gasped out quietly, the smell of arousal pulsating off of him. Stiles understood. He was trying to control himself like a gentlemen, as he always did. It wasn’t like Stiles was making it easy on him though, not when he reeked of heat and his own sweet scent. Derek’s wolf pushed his hips forward, grinding his clothed cock against Stiles’s. The alpha shook his head. “You smell too good.”

Stiles grinned, shuddering softly. “It’s okay, alpha. You’re allowed.”

Derek whined. “I’m acting like a knothead.”

“No,” Stiles replied. “Let me take care of you.” Maybe Nathan’s heat did have some effect on him or maybe it was Derek’s scent and the way he pressed against him but he wanted to put his mouth on his alpha.

Derek eyes opened as he moved to hover above Stiles. They were their normal green, which was a good sign. At least he was in control of his wolf, despite being aroused. Stiles could take care of that though. He could.

“You-”

Stiles nodded. He tried nudging Derek so that they could switch positions but the alpha didn’t budge. “Der, come on. Let me. You know you want it,” Stiles teased, trying to be seductive. This was all still so new to him.

“Only,” he breathed, “if I get to do something to you.”

Stiles’s eyes widened curiously.

“Let me show you,” Derek whispered, taking Stiles’s lips and pressing them against his own. Stiles’s heart skipped at the thought, knowing that whatever Derek would do was going to make him go crazy. Just the small preview they had before was enough to know Derek knew what he was doing.

Stiles nodded dizzily once Derek pulled away. He let Derek move him until his back was pressed against the gym mat. His hand skimmed underneath the boy’s shirt, brushing against his soft skin and sending wild shivers through his body. It only took Stiles a few moments before his eyes closed blissfully. But then Derek stopped.

“What-” Stiles whined, enjoying the feeling.

“I should take you home,” Derek muttered.

Stiles’s heart skipped painfully. He must have instantly smelled like sadness because Derek’s face immediately dropped, realizing how his words sounded.

“No, baby,” he said quickly. “No, not like that. I just meant because I’m about to rim you on a gym mat and it’s probably not the most sanitary thing in the world.”

Then Stiles’s heart skipped for a whole different reason. The reason being that Derek was going to _rim_ him. He didn’t even care about the sanitary nature of where they were about to do it. He just wanted his mouth on Derek and Derek’s mouth on his.

“I-I don’t care,” Stiles answered. “Don’t wanna wait.”

Derek smirked. “I do clean them every night after I close.”

Stiles nodded eagerly. “Yeah, yeah, please.”

Derek hesitated for a moment more, although Stiles believed it was only to torture him more. He began to run his hand underneath Stiles’s shirt again, causing him to squirm and moan quietly, especially when his fingers and palm touched his nipples.

“Derek,” he whimpered.

“Clothes,” Derek bit out, “I want them gone.”

Stiles eagerly pulled at his clothes, removing them as Derek removed his own. “Want you, want you please.”

“Yeah, baby,” Derek answered, calming the crazy beat of Stiles’s heart. He flopped onto the other side of the mat, cock hard and dripping precum. Stiles’s mouth watered and his omega whined inside. “Come here. Come take what you want.”

Stiles moaned, feeling needy and very close to his omega. It scared him a little but he ignored it. Derek wasn’t going to judge him. He trusted the alpha with everything. As instructed, Stiles crawled toward Derek’s legs, throwing his leg over the man’s hips so that he straddled him, with his ass pointed back toward his face. He waited, his omega wanted, needing, permission before taking anything.

“Go ahead, baby,” Derek encouraged, his hot breath fanning against his exposed hole. “It’s yours.” That sent a thrill through his body. It was his. _Derek_ was his.

Stiles was allowing his omega to come to the surface because it was easier not to fight it. They both wanted Derek, both wanted his cock and his mouth so he allowed it. It still took him a moment, trusting himself to stay in control, not turn into a blubbering mess the second Derek’s mouth touched him. He wasn’t like that, at least he didn’t think he was.

“I’m yours,” Derek whispered a moment later and Stiles nearly cried, feeling emotional just from the two words. He wanted that to be true, not that it necessarily wasn’t, but he wanted it to be true on his skin. He wanted to wear Derek’s mark and he wanted Derek to wear his. But he was scared to bring it up.

Instead of doing so, instead of getting choked up over the words, he lowered his mouth on Derek’s cock, taking him, tasting him fully. Derek let out a throaty moan, gripping Stiles’s hips in his hands. Stiles sucked and hollowed his cheeks to bring pleasure to his alpha.

 _I’m yours_ , the words rang in his ears like a song.

Derek pressed small kisses to Stiles’s inner thigh, pressing closer to his wet hole. Stiles tried to focus on his task but it was much more difficult when Derek’s tongue began to lap at his hole. He gasped, mouth wide and open for a few moments as he got used to the first strange sensation of someone’s tongue touching him there. Derek seemed to like what he was tasting because he kept at it.

“D-Der,” Stiles trembled.

“Shh,” he whispered. “Let me take care of you.”

Stiles nodded, eyes rolling back into his head. It was a different sensation than fingers. It was softer, not filling him, hardly even breaching inside but bringing him pleasure nonetheless. Each lick made him clench and unclench, leaking more slick for Derek to lap up.

It took Stiles another moment to remember he was supposed to be reciprocating the pleasure for Derek. He began to suck again, suckling more than anything because he couldn’t seem to concentrate. Derek didn’t seem to care but he still felt bad.

“D-Der,” he blew out. “I-I c-can’t-” He felt like a failure, not being able to focus on sucking his boyfriend off. He had been the one to bring it up in the first place and he couldn’t even do it.

“It’s okay, it’s alright,” Derek reassured, pulling away a little. “Tell me what you want.”

“Keep going,” he urged. “Please, please, please.”

Derek chuckled but began to lick again, the tip of his tongue slipping inside as Stiles’s hole. It gave something to clench around, gave him the feeling of something wet and warm moving in and out.

“Oh God,” Stiles panted, repeating the phrase over and over again. “Derek, Derek!” He tried sucking on Derek’s cock again, anything to distract him from the overwhelming feeling. Either Derek had a very skilled tongue or Stiles was extremely sensitive to touch. He figured it was both by the way he was reacting.

“Want you to come on my tongue,” Derek growled huskily. Stiles shook and whined, sucking greedily on the alpha's cock.

He wanted it inside of him. He wanted to come on his cock and milk it as Derek spilled inside of him. He had never wanted it as much as he did right then.

“On your cock,” he whimpered. “Wanna come with you inside me. Please.” That caused Derek to freeze entirely, his heart stuttering. “Please. I want you. Always wanted you, Der.”

Derek barely gave him time to realize what was happening because he was flipping him over so that his face was back where Derek's was. He missed the feeling of his tongue and it made him sad.

“You want that?”

Stiles nodded, completely serious. His mind was back in the right place since nothing was touching him now. “For so long.” He dreamt of being filled with Derek come and then with Derek's pups.

“I want you too,” Derek whispered close to his face. “I want this if you want this. But let me take you home. Let me do this on a bed.”

Stiles didn't mind the mat. He really didn't. All he cared about was Derek. As long as he was there, Stiles was okay with being taken on the gym floor for all he cared.

“I just want you,” Stiles answered. “I don't care about a bed. I just want you to be mine and me to be yours.”

“I'm already yours.”

“Am I yours?”

Derek kissed the boy on the lips and Stiles tasted his own sweetness. “You've always been mine, Stiles. Always. My wolf probably knew it the second we met but I was just too blind to see it for so many years. But I see it now.”  

Stiles shuddered. “I love you, Derek.”

“I love you, Stiles,” he breathed, kissing the boy softly. “Love you so much.”

Stiles shuddered and shuddered, overwhelmed and filled with warmth. “Derek, please. I want to be yours, always yours. Please bite me.” He didn't realize how fast his heart was beating until Derek held him close.

“I will, baby. Trust me, you've been mine since you were born.”

Stiles's breath hitched in his chest, realizing what the words meant. Only certain wolves belonged together since birth. It was so rare that Stiles hardly allowed himself to think about it. Only in desire, never thinking it could really happen. He knew Derek was his but this was a different level of _his_.

“Der, are you saying-”

Derek's eyes locked with his own, full of heat and love. He nodded once, slow and steady.

“When?”

“Realized during my rut,” Derek hesitated, “when I almost bit you.”

Stiles made a quiet noise, thinking of what it would have been like to feel Derek bite into his flesh, mark him as his own. He had heard the wonderful things about mating bites, about how they could make an omega slick with just a touch from their alpha or how he'd feel safe and protected after it healed.

“I wouldn't have done it without your permission, Stiles. I promise, I would have controlled myself but that's when I realized what it meant. It never happened with Kate or anyone else I was with. Just you, only you.”

Stiles gulped. “You're my mate?” The words felt foreign on his tongue, even more so when he spoke them aloud.

“Yes,” Derek whispered, gauging the omega's reaction.

“Why didn't you tell me? I mean, before. When you found out? Why didn't you tell me?”

“I wanted you to have a choice. Just because we're mates, doesn't mean you're bound to me. You'll always have a choice, Stiles. If you want Nate or-”

Stiles growled before Derek could even finish his sentence. “I don't want Nate. I want you. How many times, how many ways do I have to say it before you believe it.”

Derek expression shifted to surprised. “I just want you to have a say. Mates doesn't mean you have to pick me. It doesn't even mean you have to let me bite you right now. If you want to wait or never do it, I have to respect that. If you want another omega in the future or an alpha, I want you to be able to decide that, not be stuck with me.”

“What if I want to be stuck with you?”

“You're only eighteen, Stiles. What if you change your mind?”

Stiles laughed in annoyance. “Derek Hale, I've been in love with you since I met you, okay? When you started dating Kate, I wished her dead quite a few times. When you showed an interest in other person instead of me, I wanted to cry. I loved you even when you stopped coming over after the fire, when you ignored me on the streets and stopped holding me when I needed you. I loved you even when I hated you for leaving me behind. I loved you for four years even though I knew you were gone. And then you came back! And I guess, I guess I fell in love with you all over again.” Derek's eyes were wide, unsure and completely emotional. “So, I know you want to give me a choice. You want me to be able to decide but I've already decided, Der. I decided long before this moment and no other alpha, beta or omega is going to change that. Because it's always been you; despite a heat never confirming it, you've always been my mate. I've picked you, I'll pick you again and again, in another fucking life, on another fucking planet, it's you. So stop being jealous, stop thinking you're not good enough for me and please, please, for the love of God, bite me so everyone else knows what I've decided.”

Stiles took a long deep breath afterwards, mouth dry from the long monologue he just gave. Derek was just staring at him and Stiles feared he was going to leave or make a comment about his confession but he didn't say anything, didn't move.

“Say something,” Stiles whispered desperately.

Derek swallowed. “Let me take you home. Let me lay you down in a real bed so I can taste every inch of you.”

Stiles just nodded because he wasn't sure he was able to speak anymore. He allowed Derek to help him put his clothes on, article by article, a lot slower than they intended because each piece was interrupted by desperate kisses and dirty words.

“I want to make you scream my name,” Derek whispered as he pulled Stiles's shirt on. It made him want to rip it back off. “I want to feel you squeeze around me, pulse as you come from my cock alone.”

Stiles was a mess by the time the alpha got his shoes on. He was a wet, shivering mess and he just wanted Derek's cock inside of him.

“Gotta be patient, baby. I promise I'll make it worth the wait. You just gotta trust me.”

Stiles trusted him.

+

By some God-given miracle, they made it home without Stiles jumping Derek in the car. It was an incredibly long drive despite his house only being ten minutes from the gym. He couldn't stop thinking about Derek marking him, officially being his. Ashamedly, he was on the verge of begging from Derek to just take him in the car by the time they finally pulled up to his loft.

After all the clothes were discarded again and the text was sent home that he was at Derek's, much to his dad's dismay, Stiles was trembling like a leaf. Derek took notice and it made Stiles wonder how everything was going to feel once the bond was in place. They'd be able to feel each other on a different level, no more hiding emotions or pretending they didn't feel a certain way. They'd know whenever something hurt, whenever they needed something, anything.

“What's wrong?” Derek asked softly, brushing his hand over Stiles's cheek.

“Just really want to feel you,” Stiles answered, nuzzling closer to the hand.

Derek smiled. “Me too, baby. We'll get there, okay? I want to take my time with you.”

Stiles shivered again.

“I'll make sure you're nice and open before we go any further. I don't plan on making you feel any pain.”

Stiles wasn't sure if that would be possible. He was a virgin and he had seen the size of Derek's cock.

“I'll make sure it doesn't hurt,” Derek whispered when he saw the look on his mates’ face.

“It's okay if it does,” Stiles answered truthfully. “I know you'll make it better.”

Derek kissed him, his tongue slipping inside for a small moment before he pulled back. His hands fumbled with something in between them and then Stiles felt the cold press of his fingertip at his entrance. He gasped, arching into Derek's chest. The alpha pressed comforting kisses to Stiles's neck.

“Okay?”

“Yeah, yeah I'm okay.” He had forgotten how thick Derek's fingers were despite having felt them days ago.

Derek's single finger pumped in and out for a few minutes, adjusting Stiles to the feeling. He added a second one, pushing a little deeper and spreading them a little wider. A whoosh of air flew through Stiles's body as Derek's finger pressed into his prostate.

“Fuck,” Stiles whimpered and Derek chuckled.

“Good?”

Stiles didn't answer, just canted his hips upward. Derek waited another minute before adding a third. That was a bit of a stretch and Stiles grasped the sheets, not from pain but from the tender burn it brought.

Derek kissed down along Stiles's body, whispering quiet apologies against his skin. Stiles didn't want him to feel bad. He didn't mind the burn, not really. It reminded him that he was here, that Derek wasn't just a dream. They were about to have sex and Stiles wasn't dreaming.

Stiles thighs trembled greatly after minutes of three fingers moving inside him. Derek tortured him by ignoring his prostate except for a couple of accidental bumps. His cock was painfully hard but he wanted to come with Derek inside of him.

“I'm good,” he whined, knowing he really wasn't but he was tired of waiting.

“Not to sound like a cocky asshole but I'm a little bigger than that. I don't want to hurt you.” Stiles pouted and Derek looked up at him, rolling his eyes. “This is special, Stiles. You're not just some omega I'm going to fuck. I'm mating you tonight.”

Stiles liked how that sounded. Mating was the most important moment between a couple. He knew Derek would make it special for them.

“I can take you,” Stiles whispered. “I was made to take you, Der.” Jesus, he sounded so much like an omega but for some reason he didn't fear it. He _was_ made for Derek.

“I know but it's going to hurt or at the very least, burn.”

“That's okay. It reminds me that you're really here. I don't want to wait. Just go slow? I'll adjust.”

It took Derek a second to fully agree but he finally did. “Don't rush me, okay? I'm giving you this but I get to set the pace.”

“Okay,” Stiles responded.

Derek reached for the drawer beside his bed but Stiles stopped him, knowing what was inside.

“I-I,” he stuttered, “I don't want to use one.” Derek had already flopped a condom on the bed and they both stared at it.

“Are you sure?”

“Suppressants work as birth control. I don't need one. I want you to, uh, to come inside of me. I'd like to know how it feels.”

Derek nodded slowly. “Only if you're 100% sure.”

“I'm sure,” Stiles replied confidently. He wanted it more than he cared to admit.

Derek left the condom where it was, repositioning himself in between Stiles's legs. He applied lube to his cock and Stiles's hole, keeping his eyes on Stiles the entire time. After a moment, he moved himself again, one hand guiding his cock, the other adjusting Stiles's legs so that they were open wide, bent at the knee.

The first touch was strange. It felt similar to his fingers but warmer and wetter. He hadn’t been lying when he said he was bigger than three fingers. Being that he was an alpha and all, Stiles expected it but the burning stretch still took him by surprise. He sucked in a sharp breath, feeling the head nudge inside.

“Relax, baby,” Derek instructed. “You're doing so well.” Stiles forced himself to relax, allowing the head to ease in the rest of the way. There was a pop that Stiles felt as it did, stretching him. It wasn't even the widest part of his mate and he began to wonder if he should have taken the fourth finger. Too late now.

Derek pushed in, inch by inch. He went slow like he had said, letting Stiles adjust to each inch. His promise of no pain fell flat after he got a couple of inches inside. Stiles tensed without meaning to, tightening around Derek. The alpha groaned, breathing heavily as he controlled himself from pushing in more.

“S-sorry,” Stiles mumbled.

Derek shook his head. “No, no you're okay. You're perfect.”

“I should be able to take you,” Stiles whined, feeling like a failure as an omega. They were supposed to be open, able to take an alpha.

“You're taking me beautifully,” Derek praised. “Just take a deep breathe and relax for me.” Stiles tried and heard Derek sigh in relief. “That's good, baby. There you go.”

Stiles felt him slip in further and then finally, he was in. Both of them panted, out of breath from the amount of energy it took to just get inside. Derek smiled after a second and looked at Stiles.

“God, you're so beautiful.”

Stiles's heart skipped and his felt himself blush. He knew Derek wanted to move, create some friction around himself but Stiles wanted to stay in this moment forever. Just Derek staring down at home, calling him beautiful, looking so in love. He never wanted to let it go.

But he did because there were going to be more moments like that in his life.

Derek kissed at his neck, moving upward toward his jawline. He never moved his lower half, remaining still as he let Stiles get used to it. His hand did eventually find Stiles's half hard cock, stroking him gently. It helped ease any burn he felt.

“Feels good,” Stiles whimpered. Gradually, he was growing harder, leaking more slick which made him loosen more. “You can move. Der, you can move.”

Derek moved slowly, dragging his length out before pushing back inside. Stiles made a noise in between pain and pleasure and told Derek to keep going, not wanting him to stop. He felt so full, so unbelievably full. With each movement came a different sensation. Sometimes it was a spark in his core or a tingle. It made him quiver and moan, clinging to Derek like a second skin. Derek, who had his face tucked in Stiles's neck, groaning and nipping.

“Der,” Stiles whined, hooking his legs behind the alpha’s ass to deepen his thrusts. All the pain was gone, replaced by intense pleasure. Every drag sent shivers through Stiles’s body, making him squirm and tilt his hips for more. “Please, harder!”

Derek growled although it was muffled by Stiles’s neck. It caused Stiles’s heart to leap and his omega to submit, going a little more pliant. Derek made a strangled noise, pulling his face from Stiles’s neck and resting it on the boy’s forehead. His eyes were closed, focused on the movement.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled and it took Stiles a second to realize why he was apologizing. He had growled at him like some aggressive alpha but Stiles hadn’t even been scared. If anything, it had made him leak more slick out of arousal.

So he shook his head. “Not mad. Just don’t stop.”

Derek huffed. “I won’t. You feel so fucking good.”

They went on at the same pace, just harder, for a few additional minutes. Neither of them spoke. Really, the only sound in Derek’s loft was each of their heavy breathes, rough and wet sounding. Occasionally, there was the sound of Stiles moaning or Derek groaning. The position was nice but Stiles felt like he needed more, like he needed Derek deeper inside of him.

“Der, I need-”

Derek knew without him even finishing the sentence. He had Stiles in a different position in half a second. Stiles’s legs straddled the alpha’s lap as he held him flush against his body. The position made it harder for Derek to thrust upward but Stiles was literally sitting on his cock like this.

“I don’t-” Stiles struggled for words. He wasn’t sure how to articulate that he wasn’t going to be any good at this, at riding Derek. He had never done it before, obviously, but Derek didn’t seem to care. He never seemed to care if Stiles was good or not.

Derek gripped his hips, using the leverage to pump Stiles up and down on his cock rather than try to pump upward. Stiles cried out, holding on to Derek’s back tighter whenever his cock pressed into his prostate. He did it again and again and Stiles couldn’t think. It was almost too much.

“Got you, baby. Gonna knot you full and mark you so everyone knows you’re mine.”

Stiles moaned his response, nodding frantically as the assault on his prostate continued. Derek wasn’t letting up and Stiles was almost positive he was going to come or explode if he didn’t stop soon.

“Nobody will never touch you again. They’ll know you’re mine,” Derek growled in Stiles’s ear, sending a shudder through the omega’s body. He wanted that so much. Tyler would never touch him again. He’d see that Stiles had an alpha, an alpha that would raise hell if he even thought about messing with Stiles again.

“Please, please-” Stiles begged.

He could feel the base of Derek’s cock growing, pressing against his rim. It slipped in once and made him feel fuller than he had ever felt. Then it was gone as Derek lifted Stiles's hips again.

“Are you sure?” Derek choked out. “Completely sure?”

Stiles keened quietly, trying to force his hips back down to take the knot but Derek stopped him. There was no turning back once his knot was inside. There was no turning back once his teeth sank into Stiles's skin but he didn't want to turn back. This was where he wanted to be.

“I'm sure,” Stiles replied, pulling back enough to see Derek's face. “I've never been more sure.”

Derek held his eyes as he turned them back over so Stiles was on his back again and lifted his legs, bending them forward and holding them just underneath the kneecap. Stiles had never felt so exposed, his hole on full display as Derek's cock slid in and out. He held him there, grunting and shuddering each time his knot didn't lock inside. Stiles's eyes rolled back in his head as it happened. The knot grew until it was too big to drag out again and then Derek was locked inside, delivery short abortive thrusts that made Stiles sob. He was so close to orgasming and neither of them had even touch his cock.

“Almost there,” Derek told him in a whisper. Stiles felt his warm breath on his neck and then the sharp point of his teeth, readying themselves to pierce skin. Stiles trembled, from pleasure, from excitement, from nerves. But he was ready. He bared his neck and squeezed around Derek's cock.

Then Derek was roaring, slamming into his mate as he spilled inside. Stiles gasped, feeling his warmth spread through his. And then cried out as soon as Derek’s teeth found their way into his skin, marking him, a mark that would always be there. Stiles came in violent shivers, his cock spurting in between them as his hole quivered and milked Derek's. He sobbed, overwhelmed with both his emotions and Derek's all at once. He sobbed while he convulsed, his muscles contracting and releasing then repeating. Derek had pulled away and begun tenderly licking at the wound which only made Stiles come more and inadvertently milked more out of Derek.

"Derek!" Stiles screamed and then continued to chant in a smaller voice, "Derek, Derek, Derek."

“Shh, baby,” Derek cooed after another few licks. “I'm right here. It’s done now.”

Stiles felt light and dizzy. Derek continued to move inside of him, spilling more come deep within. His knot was locked firmly in place, stretching the omega in such a way that felt so good. Stiles trembled and trembled, feeling tears fall down his cheeks. Derek could feel every emotion coursing through Stiles’s body now as Stiles could feel his as well. He whispered sweetly in Stiles’s ear, reminding him that he was there, that he wasn’t going to leave, that it was natural to feel so overwhelmed. The bond between them was foreign to Stiles’s body, still attempting to take in double the emotion at once.

“So beautiful,” Derek praised. “You’re mine now. We’re each others.”

Stiles sucked in a breath of air, trying to stop the crying. He wasn’t sad or in pain. They were happy tears, beyond happy tears and he couldn’t stop them. Derek eventually released his legs, allowing them to fall back onto the mattress. He shifted them so that they could be on their sides facing each other. The movement caused his knot to pull against him rim and made Stiles muffle a moan against the alpha’s chest as he came again, oversensitive.

“Sorry,” Derek spoke quietly.

Stiles just panted against the alpha’s bare, slick chest. “N-no more.”

Derek chuckled softly. “I know, Stiles. It’s too much?”

Stiles nodded weakly. His thighs trembled while he was still trying to come down from his second orgasm. He whimpered when Derek’s fingers reached back and traced the stretched rim of his hole.

“It’s okay,” Derek mumbled and Stiles realized he was gently massaging the area. “You’re okay.”

“Is it always like this?” Stiles questioned, although the words were muffled by Derek’s chest. He wasn’t sure if Derek understood the question. “Is it always so intense?” He could feel himself edging closer to a feeling that resembled another orgasm but his cock was soft and spent.

“Only because of the bite,” Derek answered.

Stiles shuddered again, loving every second of it but feeling like he was going to pass out. Derek kissed his neck again and again as they waited for Stiles to come down. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to with Derek so huge inside of him. It only took Derek’s scuff brushing briefly against the healing bite for Stiles to cry out and come again, this time, completely bypassing his cock. He just tightened as waves of pleasure coursed through him.

“Fuck,” Derek cursed, “shit, I’m so sorry!”

Stiles had tears in his eyes because this time, it was too much. It felt like heaven but he was too spent. He whimpered and whined against Derek’s chest, feeling the alpha’s cock pulse more every time his hole clenched against it. He was shaking uncontrollably now.

“I’m sorry, Stiles. Shh, it’s almost over.” Stiles had never come so much in his life. “Just close your eyes, baby. It’ll pass.”

“F-feels so good,” Stiles said quietly. “Too much but really good. Why aren't you a puddle of feelings too?" 

Derek laughed. "Can't you feel me?"

Stiles tried to focus on their newly formed bond, a little hazy but there. He could feel the alpha's emotions, happy, relief, pleasure, a little overwhelmed. They were all there. 

"It's always harder for the omega, baby. You'll get used to it soon." 

Stiles just made a noise in return and cuddled closer to the warmth that he knew so well. 

He felt Derek smile. “The bite will be sensitive for a while. I’ll also be locked inside of you for a bit longer than usual as well, because of the bond. Why don’t you close your eyes and get some sleep, okay?”

Stiles made a content noise, already halfway there despite the quaking in his thighs. “Thank you, Der.”

“For what?”

“Wanting me,” he whispered back.

There was a pause of silence that Stiles didn’t have the energy to question.

“I’ll always want you, Stiles. You’re mine and I’m yours.”

Stiles nodded sleepily. “Promise?”

Derek kissed his temple. “I promise.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's some fluff and awkwardness to give you a break before some angst:) Also, 2000 kudos is surreal! Thank you all!:))))

To be completely honest, Stiles really hadn't thought the whole mating bite thing through. Not only was it tender when he woke up, still red and healing but it was going to be impossible to hide. Not so much the bite but the fact that he smelled mated, he smelled like Derek. Scott was going to flip out, his dad was going to flip out and probably shoot Derek. His only son had gotten mated without telling him. It was like someone getting married and not being invited to the wedding. He was so screwed. He didn’t regret it, not for a single moment but it was definitely going to be interesting to explain to his dad. 

Derek on the other hand was passed out next to him. Apparently knotting took a lot out of him. Stiles rolled his eyes, alphas. He had come three consecutive times last night and he was still awake and moving. 

Stiles shifted on the bed and stood, making sure he didn't wake Derek up. He needed a shower, a really hot shower to wash all the slick, sweat and come from his body. He hadn't woken up when Derek pulled out and he was incredibly thankful for that. The amount of come that must have come out would have made him want to bury himself in a very deep hole. 

Under the hot water, Stiles was blissfully unaware of anything else. His body ached in strange places, muscles he didn’t even know he had were sore. The shower was definitely helping though. It took a lot for him to not fall asleep against the side wall. Thank God it was Saturday because school was totally out of the question. 

From what Stiles knew about mating bites, he and Derek needed to be within the same vicinity until the bond was fully complete. That meant he couldn’t leave until the bite was healed or the bond could break. It wasn’t supposed to take more than a day to heal so it wasn’t like he was stuck in Derek’s loft forever and as long as Derek was with him whenever he went, they’d be fine. 

Curiously, Stiles ran his finger over the bite, whimpering as it sent a small shock of pleasure through his body. It throbbed and made Stiles feel kind of dizzy. He made a mental note to not touch it again until it healed. He wasn’t sure if his body could take anymore mind-blowing orgasms just yet. 

When he returned to Derek’s bed, wearing his just boxers and one of Derek’s softest t-shirts, the alpha was awake. He stared at Stiles when he walked back into the room, propped up with one of his pillows. 

“Hey,” Stiles greeted, crawling back onto the bed which were surprisingly clean. “Did you change these?”

Derek yawned. “Yeah, didn’t want you to have to sleep in all that mess.” 

Stiles smiled. “How kind of you.” 

“Although you were pretty dead to the world so I don’t think you would have minded anyway. The most movement you made was when I pulled out.” Stiles blushed, “you whined a little and then slipped right back into your coma like sleep.” 

“Yeah well, three orgasms will do that.” 

Derek smirked, looking proud of himself and it made Stiles laugh. He flopped down on the bed, rolling until his head rested against Derek’s thigh. His scent was a mix of the two of them now. Stronger than what scenting normally did. It was under the surface, mingled together like mates. 

Because they were mates. Stiles couldn’t believe that. 

“How am I going to explain this to my dad?” Stiles mumbled moments later. “He’s going to kill you.” 

“He likes me,” Derek answered, although there was small amount of worry in his voice. “He’d never kill his son’s mate,” a pause, “would he?” 

Stiles choked on a laugh. “He’s gonna have some choice words for the both of us but he’s not going to kill you, I promise. I was just being dramatic. He knows I’ve been in love with you since I met you so you know, killing you wouldn’t be the best idea.” 

Derek ran his fingers through Stiles’s hair, remaining silent afterwards. Now that he wasn’t overwhelmed with pleasure and emotion, he could more clearly feel what Derek felt. It pulsed in between them unlike it had before. Before, Stiles could smell the alpha’s emotions, just barely on the surface but this, this was much different. Derek’s emotions were his and vise versa. He felt Derek’s small panic whenever he said his dad was going to kill him and it made him feel slightly panicked. It was a strange new world. 

“Der?” 

“Yeah, baby?” 

“Do you know how this whole mating bond thing works? I’ve only heard things from health class and they didn’t go into much detail. All these new emotions I’m feeling, your emotions, is weirding me out. You feel that too, right?” 

“I feel what you’re feeling. If you’re scared or happy or horny, I’ll feel it. It will never trump my own emotions but it will be there even if I’m not close enough to smell you.” 

“So strange,” Stiles mumbled. 

“It’s gonna take some time to get used to.” 

“We’re going to have to tell my dad, like today. The second I go home, he’ll know. I’d like it if you were there with me too. I don’t regret it. No matter what anyone says about it. Because you know people will probably say shit.” 

“Like what?” 

“That I’m too young to have made that decision. That you’re too old for me,” Derek made a choked noise and Stiles smirked, “okay, not that old. They’ll just say shit, whether it’s to my face or not. Everyone talks in this stupid town.” 

“Ignore them,” Derek murmured. “‘Cause if they say anything they’re going to have to deal with your mad fighting skills.” 

Stiles snorted. “I need to brush up on those soon. It’s been a whole two days. I can’t let myself get lazy.” 

Derek rolled Stiles onto his back, moving so he hovered above him. Stiles's heart thumped happily. He still couldn't believe Derek was his now. It was surreal. All those daydreams about being mated, wishing Derek would notice him instead of Kate. They were real, finally. 

Derek's eyes flickered over to Stiles's mark, nestled into the crook between his shoulder and neck. “I love seeing my mark on you. I'm scared it's going to disappear.” 

“Never,” Stiles whispered. “I'm yours.”

Derek kissed him, long and slow like he wanted to make it last forever. Stiles was okay with that. He was okay with laying in Derek's bed, the alpha on top of him, smelling deeply of each other.  However, the universe didn't want that for them as Stiles's phone began to buzz rapidly.

Stiles made a displeased noise, unhappy as Derek rolled off of him. His dad’s name and face were bold and clear on his phone, calling him. 

“Hey,” he greeted once he answered the phone. 

“Good morning son I never see.” Stiles rolled his eyes. “I'm aware you and Derek are together but you seem to have a habit of sleeping over lately.” 

“Well, you know, his bed is much more comfortable than mine.” 

He heard his dad scoff on the other line. “Maybe you should think about buying yourself a new one, huh?” 

“Eh,” Stiles responded with a chuckle. He could almost hear his dad rolling his eyes at him. 

“Anyway, I called because I wanted to invite Derek to dinner tonight. He hasn't been over in a while and I thought it would be nice. Since you're with him, I figured you could ask.” 

Stiles looked over at Derek who was listening to the conversation. He shrugged his shoulders like it wasn't a big deal. The bite would surely be healed by the evening but it didn't hurt to have Derek around more. 

“He said he'd love to! He misses your company.” 

Derek rolled his eyes and Stiles grinned. 

“Oh I'm sure that's exactly what he said.” 

“He did! he thinks you're the best!” 

“Dinner is at 6, please be there,” his dad replied, ignoring the way Stiles tried to butter him up. 

“You're cooking?” His dad rarely cooked. If and when he did, it usually consisted of some kind of frozen meal he could pop into the microwave. 

“I was thinking about it,” he said defensively. 

Stiles laughed again. “Well we'd be honored to come over tonight.” 

There was a pause and then, “Alright kiddo, I'll see you tonight. Mind grabbing some salad on your way?” 

Stiles couldn't help it, he just had to poke fun at his dad. “Salad? Look at how far you've come, Dad!” 

His dad groaned in annoyance. “Goodbye, Stiles.” 

“Bye, Dad!” 

Stiles flopped back onto his back next to Derek and smiled. “Well, I guess we're gonna have to tell him tonight. That should be fun, huh?” There was a small ounce of nervousness in his voice. 

“He's not going to be bland,” Derek reassured. “At least not at you. It's not like I'm just some alpha who you picked up off the street. He knows me and he knows we wouldn't have done this had we not truly thought about it.” 

Stiles nodded, praying that was the case. 

“Do you have to go to work today?” he asked a few moments later. “I'd really rather lay in bed all day. Maybe,” he paused, eyes flickering up to Derek's, “feel you inside me again?” 

Derek's eyebrows quirked up in interest. “I'll call Olive.”

 

* * *

 

To say the least, they did not leave that bed all afternoon. By the time they did, it was only because they had to. They showered together, got dressed together and left together. Stiles didn't even care about how cheesy it was or how cliche they looked, holding hands at the store and kissing every once in awhile. They were in the honeymoon stage and he was loving it. 

At the store, after grabbing the salad, Stiles made Derek get some beer as a sort of peace offering to his dad for mating with his son without so much as talking about it beforehand. Beer always softened him up and since Stiles couldn’t buy it, Derek had to. 

“He likes the cheap kind,” Stiles told him as they scanned the aisle, “but I think that’s just because he’s cheap too. Get him something good, something you like. You drink right?” 

Derek shrugged, eyes taking in all the alcohol. “Kind of hard to get drunk unless I want to spend a ton of money.” 

Stiles stared in disappointment. They had certain drinks that had a higher percentage of alcohol for those who didn’t want to drink in multiples just to get drunk but those were also the most expensive. They were trying to soften Stiles’s dad, not make Derek go broke. 

“You know what, just get him the cheap kind. He doesn’t drink to get drunk, he just likes to taste.” Derek gave him a strange look. “I know, it’s so unnatural.” 

Derek chuckled and grabbed for one of the expensive six-pack of beer. Stiles gawked at him. “My mate’s father deserves the good kind.”

“Are you sure? He’d seriously be fine with the cheap stuff.” 

Derek shook his head. “I should at least try to impress him.” 

“He already knows you, Der. He’s known you for years. You really don’t need to impress him.” 

“Just let me,” Derek practically whined and Stiles giggled. “I want to do something correctly.”

Stiles understood. Although it wasn’t a law anymore, most alphas still asked for the omega or betas’ alpha for their blessing before they mated. It was a traditional thing now whereas years ago, it was more of an ownership thing. Stiles had never liked it but he knew Derek meant well. 

“You’re a good man, you know? Even if you didn’t get around to asking for his blessing. I kinda pounced on you at the gym so if there’s anyone to blame, it’s definitely me.” 

Derek kissed Stiles right there in the alcohol aisle like PDA wasn’t a big deal. His lips trailed across the boy’s jawline, dipping down to where his mating bite was hidden underneath the collar of his t-shirt. It was still a tad bit sensitive but otherwise had healed. However, under Derek’s touch, it was always going to make Stiles’s knees weak. 

“Maybe,” Stiles swallowed as he felt Derek’s hot breath over his shirt, “not the best idea, alpha.” 

Derek chuckled and pulled away. “I can’t resist. I love the way it look on your skin. I love the way you shiver whenever I go near it and how I can smell your slick and arousal on a different level now.” 

Stiles let out a small whine before catching himself. They were in public! Within earshot of other people. He was momentarily mortified at himself, dragging Derek along toward checkout so that he couldn’t make Stiles blush any harder. He knew the alpha absolutely loved it, love that he could make Stiles’s cheeks turn the shade of an apple with just a few words. 

By the time they reached his house, Stiles had calmed down. He didn't need his dad to be smelling him and wondering why he was so aroused.  _ That  _ was not something they didn't to be discussing during dinner, although he was going to know sex happened whenever Stiles revealed the bite.

Derek rang the doorbell, holding the case of beer in one hand and Stiles's hand in another. Stiles’s heart was going a mile a minute, irrationally so but he couldn’t stop it. This was what he had grown up wanting, to be Derek’s mate, to not hate that he was an omega, to be happy. He wanted his dad to be happy too, not disappointed in him for doing it so young. 

His dad opened the door and took one look at them before saying, “Well, don’t you two look cute.” 

Stiles groaned and released Derek’s hand. “Hi, Dad.” 

“Well come in, I have the food cooking on the stove and I’d rather not burn it and have to deal with your smartass comments.” He ushered the pair inside, eying the case of beer in Derek’s arm. “I know that is definitely not for you and my son, Derek.”

Derek chuckled. “Uh no, sir. These are for you.” 

“When’d you start calling me sir?” 

Derek paled a little and Stiles could feel his anxiety. “I-I don’t know?”

Stiles’s dad chuckled. “I’m just messing with you, Derek. Pop some bottles open and relax.” 

Stiles shot Derek a look as they entered the kitchen. He was nervous but Derek was letting all of his emotions show. His dad was going to pick up on it soon if he didn’t stop and he wanted to get through dinner first before they told him. 

“So, what did you make, Dad?” Stiles questioned, easing the attention off of Derek as the alpha opened two beers and handed one to Stiles’s dad. “Something not greasy with a lack of red meat, I hope?” 

His dad rolled his eyes and opened the lid to the pan on the stove. “It’s stir-fry, acceptable?” 

Stiles looked over at it, acting like he was analyzing it. “Look good, I see some vegetables in there, yum!” 

“I’m glad it’s up to your standards,” his dad replied with a short laugh. “How do you deal with him, Derek? You must cook for him now since he seems to stay at your house all the time.” 

Derek choked on his beer and Stiles smacked him on the back, shooting his dad a smile whenever he tilted his head in concern. 

“He’s not too hard to appease, usually.” 

“Huh,” he replied, pausing for a moment. “Well, dinner’s just about ready. Stiles, why don’t you get the bowls out?” 

After serving themselves, they all sat around the table, holding a decent conversation without any mishaps. It seemed that after the initial awkwardness, Derek held it together. Stiles hoped it was because he had forgotten but he doubted it. It was all he could think about over the course of the dinner, each bite was a bite closer to the truth. 

He waited until his dad was halfway through his second beer to say a word. 

“So, we have something to tell you,” Stiles said, just above noise level. He held Derek’s hand underneath the table and squeezed whenever the words left his mouth. 

“Oh God, you’re not pregnant, are you?” His eyes were wide with fear and worry. 

“Oh my God, no!” Stiles exclaimed. “I’m on suppressant, Dad! I haven’t had a heat since I was fourteen. How the hell would I be pregnant?” 

Relief washed through his face all at once. “Oh thank God! I want grandchildren, believe me, but not right now.” 

“Well I'm glad that's off the table, now will you let me, us, explain before you jump to irrational conclusions again?” 

His dad pursed his lips but nodded. 

“Well, uh,” Stiles muttered. “Maybe it's better if I just showed you.” Slowly, he moved the collar of his t-shirt away from his neck and revealed the tender bite mark. He dared to look up at his dad with careful eyes. 

Eyes were narrowly focused on his shoulder, showing no emotion at all. 

“John, I-” Derek tried to say. 

“You two mated?” 

“Yes,” Stiles answered quietly but confidently. “We did, Dad.” 

“I swear I meant no disrespect,” Derek spoke again. “I should have sought out your blessing but it was kind of an in the moment thing. I mean, we talked about it, it wasn't just a in the moment decision. We aren't that stupid.”

“I don't think I'm too young, okay? So please don't use that argument. I'm old enough and I've been through enough to make a decision like this. There are worse things that could have happened, right?” Stiles added. 

They were both rambling like fools and it probably wasn't helping their situation.

“Woah, both of you take a breath! I'm not mad.” Stiles waited, wondering if there was more. “It's not my place or my decision. That kind of shit was outlawed years ago. If this is what you both want, then I'm here to support you.” 

Stiles felt the weight being lifted off his shoulders all at once and he could feel Derek's relief too. Neither of them had expected a calm response but that was exactly what they had received. The sheriff only smelled of happiness, no underlying anger at all.

“You're really not mad?” 

“No, of course I'm not angry. You've been in love with this man for years, Stiles. Had you mated someone you had just met, I would have had some words for you but this,  _ he _ , is what you wanted, what makes you happy.” 

Stiles blushed and felt Derek's love pulling at their bond. “Yeah, he really is.” 

His dad turned his attention to Derek. “I just want to know that you'll take care of him, no matter what. He's my only kid and mate or not, I will end you if you hurt him.” 

Derek laughed nervously. “I believe you. Trust me, I have no intention of ever hurting him. From what I've taught him, I'm pretty sure he could hurt me if he truly tried.” 

Stiles pushed him jokingly. “Oh stop.” 

His dad smiled at the two of them. “I'm happy for you guys.” 

“Thanks, Dad.” 

“Your mom would be proud of you too.” 

And for some reason, that statement made all the aches and pains, the worry and stress and self-loathing disappear. Because, finally, all felt right in the world. Derek was his mate, his dad was happy and his mom was proud of him. 


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I'm sorry it's been a million years since I last updated (really only like two weeks but still) 
> 
> I know I've probably lost a few readers along the way because of my sporadic updating but if you're still here and enjoying it, please know you're very appreciated and you make me happy:)
> 
> Here's chapter 20:)

To say his friends were shocked when he revealed his new mark, was a little under exaggerated. Maybe he should have led up to it instead of just exposing it at the lunch table but watching Scott spit out his food was honestly the highlight of his day. They were all thrilled for him, some a little more than others--Lydia, who had been waiting for them to seal the deal since Stiles brought him up. It wasn't uncommon for the people to get mated in high school, especially if they found their mate like Stiles. But it was still a strange concept for some of his classmates whenever the truth began to circulate.

Stiles was beyond happy, which meant he didn’t care about anything anyone whispered under their breaths about him being too young or putting out for some alpha. He didn’t even mind the disgusted look Tyler gave him whenever they made eye contact in the locker room. It was none of their business how Stiles lived his life. He and Derek had made a decision between the two of them and it didn’t matter if other people disagreed. If anything, Tyler’s look only electrified the happiness inside of Stiles. He’d be a fool if he ever touched Stiles again. Derek would have every reason to harm him back without any legal repercussions.

The thing was, Tyler didn’t ever touch him again. At least not for the latter half of Stiles’s senior year. During lacrosse games, they played rather civilly, in the hallways, Tyler passed without shoving Stiles into the lockers. It was like they were at peace but Stiles couldn’t help but have this sneaking suspicion that something had to give soon. Tyler wasn’t the type of person to just let it go, he was just being careful. He was probably waiting like a predator watching a prey. Whatever his reason was, Stiles tried to enjoy the peace as best he could while it was available.

Time flew by faster than Stiles really wanted it to. Weeks in the gym felt shorter and shorter despite the days getting longer. School was closing in on the end, closer and closer to graduation. His friends were all getting their acceptance letters into their chosen colleges while Stiles was still waiting for his. He had really only applied to like two colleges, one of them being the University of Beacon Hills, which was far enough outside his normal area for some independence but not too far from his dad, who still needed him.  The other being an Ivy League far from Beacon Hills just for shits and giggles. He knew there was no acceptance letter coming back from them so his hopes for a future were sealed in a single envelope.

His dad brought the letter one afternoon whenever Stiles was at the gym. He, Derek and his dad all gathered in Derek’s office while Stiles stared at the envelope with wide eyes. It felt like his fate lied in a piece of paper.

“Open it,” his dad grumbled impatiently.

Stiles shot him an angry look. “I’m nervous!”

Derek chuckled from behind him. “You’re going to get in, baby. Just open the letter.” He squeezed Stiles’s shoulder reassuringly.

Stiles stared at the envelope addressed to him in bold letters for a few more moments. “Okay, okay. Here I go.” His trembling fingers pulled at the already torn edge of the envelope. He quickly torn it further, a little too quickly and almost ripped the actual paper. By the time he got it out, still fully intact, he was shaking more than usual. The paper shook in his hand as he unfolded it and found the first line with his eyes.

“Dear Mr. Stilinski,” Stiles began to read outloud with a quivering voice, “We have received and reviewed your admissions letter and application. We’d like to thank you for applying,” Stiles paused, dropping the letter. “That means they’re rejecting me! They always thank you before they reject you.”

“Stiles, read the damn letter!”

Derek picked it up before he had the chance. “We’d like to thank you for applying and showing an interest in our university. On behalf of the Admissions Committee, it is our pleasure to offer you admission to the University of Beacon Hills for the 2017-2018 term.”

“I got in?”

“You got in, kiddo!”

Stiles stood from the desk and turned around to face Derek and his dad. “I got in!” He practically leapt into Derek’s arms, kissing him despite his dad being in the room. Derek set him down after a moment, placing a kiss on his forehead and whispering how proud he was. His dad pulled him into a tight hug next.

“I’m so proud of you, Stiles. I know you could do this!”

“I’m going to college!”

* * *

After his acceptance letter, Stiles had very little to worry about. His grades were pretty set in stone and his teachers were experiencing senioritis just like their students. The most he had to worry about was the upcoming lacrosse game. They had made it to States which meant this game was the most important of them all. The entire team was stressed out of their minds and it didn’t help that Coach was drilling them and making them practice more fiercely than before.

By the end of their last practice, a few days before they were scheduled to hop on bus and travel to Southern California, Stiles was dripping with sweat, muscles aching in pain and exhaustion. They had been running drill after drill to make sure they were prepared. Devenford Prep was the strongest and hardest team they had ever played and Coach wanted to beat them for the first time during States. Consequently, that meant they had to be driven past the point of exhaustion.

They were nearing the end of practice, finally. Stiles’s stomach was grumbling uncomfortably with hunger and he just wanted to sit down. Of course, he wanted to be prepared to win over the weekend but his body was about to start protesting.

“One more drill,” Coach yelled as everyone got into position. They had run every possible outcome. In the last scenario, Stiles ended up with the ball, running it toward the goal. Stiles passed the ball to Scott on his right whenever he realized he was being blocked from a straight shot to the goal. Before Scott could even catch the ball, he was slammed to the ground by another body. Coach blew his whistle, shouting however Stiles didn’t hear the words that were leaving his mouth. The only thing he could hear was Scott cry of pain as he clutched his leg, bent at a strange angle. Stiles’s eyes narrowed in on the person who had taken him down and realized, in anger, that it was Tyler.

Stiles rushed over to Scott, tossing his lacrosse stick and helmet to the ground. Scott was half shifted on the ground, eyes red and furious looking. He’d heal once they put the leg back in place but Stiles was sure that permanently hurting Scott hadn’t been Tyler’s intention.

“What the hell, Masterson!” Coach screamed. “Right before the big game?”

Tyler rose to his feet. “He’ll be fine. I barely tapped him.”

Stiles was livid. Before Scott could stop him, he rose to his feet and stalked up to Tyler. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“We’re playing a game, Stilinski. I was just playing my part,” Tyler replied snidely. “Not my fault McCall wasn’t watching his surroundings.”

“You can’t tackle someone unless they have the ball, you idiot!” Stiles berated. “Scott didn’t even catch it and look at what you did to his leg!”

“He’ll heal, fuck!”

Stiles stared at Tyler with a look of anger and disbelief. “You might have issues with me but don’t take it out on my friends. That just makes you more of a coward.”

Tyler’s eyes flashed red and Stiles heard him growl low. He stepped forward but Stiles held his ground. “You really want to speak to me like that, Stilinski? Remember last time you opened your dumb mouth?” He said it low enough that nobody around them could specifically hear unless they were really listening.

Stiles shook his head. “You are a coward, Tyler. Always will be. Nobody’s gonna fall for that alpha facade you’ve got going on.”

Being called a coward must have been a soft spot for Tyler because half a second later, Stiles was down on the ground, punches being delivered to his abdomen and face. His mind worked faster than he expected and he was able to block most of the ones aimed toward his face. It took him a little longer to remind how to get out of this position but once he did, his body went into autopilot and worked with what it remembered, tossing Tyler off and away from him. The alpha looked momentarily shocked but didn’t let it stop him from lunging forward again as Stiles tried to get away. He heard Tyler scream whenever his foot connected with the alpha’s shin in a forceful manner, something he hadn’t even thought about doing, it just happened. It was satisfying to hear, finally not being the one screaming in pain.

“Break it up, you idiots!” Coach shouted, pulling Tyler away before he could go for Stiles again. “I will not tolerate this kind of bullshit! Man up and get over it! If it weren’t for the game, I would have you both suspended right now, think about that. Masterson, get your ass in the locker rooms and cool down. Stilinski, bring Scott to the nurse and get that leg back in place. I should not have to be dealing with all of this right before States, people!”

Neither Tyler nor Stiles moved, both staring each other door.

“Get your asses moving!”

Only then did Stiles turn toward Scott, still cradling his leg and help him up from the ground. He heard Tyler stalk past them, spewing vulgar words under his breath. Scott gave Stiles an impressed look as they hobbled to the nurse's office, sticky with sweat and smelling of anger. Thankfully nobody was in the halls to experience any of that.

“Dude, that was kind of badass.”

“What?” Stiles questioned. “Getting tackled to the ground?”

“No! What you said to Tyler! You called him a coward,” Scott explained, wide eyed and surprised.

“That's because he is,” Stiles muttered back. “If he didn't want to kill me before, I'm sure he will now. Alphas don't like getting called out on their bullshit in front of people. Especially alphas like him.”

“He's not going to do anything. At least not before the game. He won't take the chance of getting suspended. This game is his last chance to show the scouts his skills.”

Well, Stiles was thankful for that to say the least.

“Let's go get your leg fixed, Scotty. We need you this weekend.”

“Aww,” Scott cooed jokingly. “You guys need me!”

Stiles shook his head. “Are you sure you don't have a concussion too?”

Scott rolled his eyes. “Just get me to the nurse so we can get this over with and go home. I'm starving!”

Stiles held Scott's hand whenever the nurse had to pop the bone back into place so it could heal properly. He screamed like a little girl and threatened Stiles, telling him to keep that secret to himself. Stiles was sure he would have made the same noises had he been awake whenever the doctors fixed his broken bones in the hospital.

Once they were done and Scott could walk properly again, they returned to the quiet locker room since the rest of the team had gone home already.

“What the hell?” Scott muttered, catching Stiles's attention. His eyes snapped up to what Scott was looking at. Their stuff, all of it, was scattered around out of their bags. Their clothes were flung in every direction, one shoe on one side and the other across the room. Somebody, Tyler had gone through their stuff and left it in an utter mess.

“I'm going to kill that asshole next time I see him,” Scott growled angrily.

Stiles began to pick up his things, stuffing them back into the bag.

“Did he take anything?” Scott questioned.

“Don't think so,” Stiles had everything he had come in with, even his suppressants. He was surprised the alpha hadn't smashed them on the ground again in a fit of anger. “He probably just wanted to mess with us. It's fine.”

“This is not fine, Stiles!”

“We only have a month left of school, Scott. Just a month. I can handle him until we graduate and then he'll be far away from Beacon Hills.”

Scott didn't look convinced but he let it go, gathering his things and slamming them into his bag. “I swear, if he took anything, he's getting a fist to the face next time I see him.”

 

* * *

 

Derek kissed him goodbye while everyone loaded up on the bus. It had been a few days since their last practice and Stiles hadn't told him about what Tyler had done because he didn't want to further worry the alpha. He was already going to be gone for the weekend, two hours away from his mate. There was no reason to make Derek stress anymore than usual.

“Is the whole bond thing still gonna work? Like that far away?” Stiles questioned curiously.

“It's not like cell phone reception, Stiles. You could be on the other side of the globe and I'd still feel whatever you felt if it was strong enough.”

“Okay well don't freak out if you feel my pain this weekend, alright? Devenford is crazy good and their players are brutal. I don't want you worrying.”

Derek made a displeased noise. “I always worry.”

Stiles smiled. “I know, that's why I like you.”

“Alright, lovebirds,” Scott called to them. “We gotta go!”

Stiles ignored him for a second more and planted a kiss on Derek's lips real quick. “I'll see you in a few days, okay? Hopefully with a trophy in hand.”

“Kick em in the ass,” Derek replied playfully. “Text me when you get there please.”

Stiles nodded, picking his duffle bag up from the ground. “Will do, alpha. Love you.”

Derek grinned. “I love you too, Stiles. Have fun.”

Derek pulled him into a hug, nipping at Stiles's mark. It didn't make him as aroused as it had when it was still fresh and new but it still made his knees a little weak.

“Okay, cut it out. They all know I'm yours.”

Derek chuckled and let the boy go. “See you soon, baby.”

“Make sure my dad doesn't eat out every night please!” Stiles shouted as he climbed on the bus.

“You're not going to war, Stiles. You’ll be back in a few days. Don't worry. A couple of hamburgers won’t kill him.”

The doors closed in front of Stiles's face cutting off their conversation. He retreated into the aisle, searching for Scott and Isaac. He plopped down in the seat across from Isaac where Scott sat. Derek began to disappear as the bus pulled away. Stiles wished he could come but with the gym, he couldn’t leave it to Olive for three days alone. They’d be fine, that was what FaceTime was created for.

“Who’s ready to fucking win?” someone on the best screamed at the top of their lungs causing the entire bus to erupt into shouting and claps.

They were definitely ready.

They arrived at the hotel close to sunset on Friday night. The bus ride had taken over two hours with traffic. Everyone was starving by the time they got out and into their hotel rooms. Isaac and Scott found out that there was a buffet downstairs but for some reason, Stiles’s appetite was pretty much gone. He sat down on the bed, feeling funny like he was nauseous and dizzy. It was just a barely there feeling but he could feel it.

“You feeling okay, dude?” Scott questioned once he saw Stiles’s face.

“Uh, yeah,” Stiles remarked, “I think I might just need some food.” He hadn’t had anything since lunch at school that afternoon so maybe this was his body’s way of telling him to eat.

“Maybe you got car sick?” Isaac suggested.

Stiles shrugged and rose to his feet. He needed to put some food in his stomach and see if it helped or not. As he stepped closer to Scott, the alpha’s face scrunched up for a moment like he didn’t like the smell of something.

“What?”

Scott paused then shook his head. “Nothing, let’s go, I’m hungry.”

Apparently the whole team got the memo about the buffet too. After loading up their plates, Stiles found a comfy booth to collapse into. He noticed his limbs had become slightly shaky, more so than usual. Again, he blamed it on the lack of food in his system. Or maybe he was catching something.

He popped a piece of bread into his mouth and chewed slowly, hoping it would ease the knot in his stomach quickly. He really didn’t want to be sick for the game tomorrow. Scott and Isaac found him a few minutes later, their plates filled just as high. While they scarfed down their food, Stiles resorted to pushing the food around on his plate. His stomach was cramping on and off.

“I-I’m going to go to the bathroom,” Stiles announced, scooting out of the booth.

“You okay?” Scott asked. “You smell-”

Stiles didn’t wait for him to finish his sentence. Something was off and he didn’t like it. His anxiety was growing with every passing moment.

“Something wrong, Stiles?” a taunting voice called to him just before he reached the bathroom. Stiles turned, knowing exactly who it belonged to.

“Leave me alone, Tyler,” he grumbled, “please, I’m really not in the mood.”

Tyler smirked. “I can tell. You look sick, are you okay?” his voice held fake concern as did his facial expressions.

“I’m fine,” Stiles replied, playing along. He probably didn’t look that hot but he wasn’t about to admit that to Tyler.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you are starting to smell like a bitch in heat,” Tyler commented, looking entertained when Stiles’s eyes went wide. “I know, it’s impossible right? You’re on suppressants but a nose doesn’t lie.”

Stiles hadn’t had a heat in years. He wasn’t sure hed’ be able to recognize the symptoms even if Tyler was telling the truth. “I-I’m not in heat, Tyler. Stop fucking with me.”

Tyler rolled his eyes. “Hey, you don’t have to believe me but let’s see what the rest of the team has to say, huh?” Before Stiles could protest, Tyler turned around toward the team. “Who smells a bitch in heat? Raise your hands,”

Stiles stood frozen as most of the alphas on the team stopped eating and sniffed the air. One by one, hands flew up and Stiles’s heart stopped. It wasn’t possible. His suppressants had never malfunctioned before. It didn’t make any sense.

Tyler turned back toward him. “So that settles it. Now, I know what you’re thinking. It doesn’t make sense, how is it possible? Suppressants are usually foolproof, right? Well, that’s only if you’re actually taking suppressants.”

“What?” Stiles gawked, trying to process the alpha’s words.

“Do you pay attention to the pills you take, Stiles? Or is it just so routine now that you pop it in your mouth and assume it’s going to work?”

“What did you do?” Stiles asked with a growl uneasily. Suddenly, the feeling in his stomach, the slight emptiness and cramping made sense. He felt sick. It wasn’t possible unless Tyler was being serious. “What the hell did you do?”

  
“I think it’s time you started accepting yourself, Stiles. Always an omega, always a bitch. You try to hide behind those suppressants of yours, so dependent on them that you didn’t even notice they were switched out.”

  
Stiles hadn’t had a panic attack in years but he could feel it building in his chest. How didn’t he notice? How could he have been so stupid? Tyler had switched them out whenever he ransacked their bags after practice. It had been two days since then. Two days without pills meant a heat.

“No,” Stiles whispered in disbelief. A heat after being on suppressants for so long was going to be impossible to get through without some pain. Doctors always recommended heat clinics for those who went off of their suppressants cold turkey because the heats were ten times worse than normal, regular heats. He’d still be in control and responsive but it was going to take a whole lot more than a simple knotting to take care of it.

“Accept it, Stiles. You’re just an omega, nothing more.”

Stiles couldn’t stop himself. He was blind with rage and Tyler was no more than a couple feet away from him. He lunged forward, taking Tyler by surprise and slamming him to the ground. He landed punch after punch, not caring where they hit. Tyler couldn’t even react before Stiles was being pulled off. He struggled against the hands, screaming out in rage. His body was protesting, sinking deeper into the heat as he exerted more energy.

“Stiles! Stiles, stop!” Scott’s face was in front of his and the strong scent of alpha, the wrong alpha, was too much. He realized quickly that Isaac was the one holding him since the beta’s scent wasn’t as strong to him.

“H-he-” Stiles gasped, watching Tyler’s friends help him up from the ground. His face was bloody, bleeding from his nose and upper eyebrow where Stiles must have hit him. Stiles gave him a smug look, still struggling against Isaac’s grip. “He messed with my suppressants.”

Scott’s eyes flashed red. “You’re in no shape to fight him, Stiles.”

“I’m not that weak!” Stiles protested. The heat was eating at him but that didn’t mean he was going to turn into putty. Being weak during a heat was a choice.

“I know that but you’re not thinking straight right now. And you’re really starting to smell like heat. It’s not safe.”

There were laws about taking an omega in heat. There needed to be explicit consent or else it was considered sexual assault under the law. Nobody here would necessarily take advantage of him but that didn’t mean the smell didn’t mess with their heads. For young alphas, the scent was much harder to ignore.

Stiles groaned, his stomach clenching once again. He knew Scott was right. As much as he wanted to see Tyler bleed further for what he had done, he needed to get out of the buffet before one of those knotheads got an idea.

Isaac let go of him for a brief moment before rearranging him so Stiles could lean against his side. Stiles hadn’t realized how shaky his legs were until some of his weight was taken off of them. Isaac and Scott guided him out of the buffet, blocking him from anyone that was too close. Tyler let them go without saying anything else, although Stiles was positive it was because he was worried Stiles was going to attack him again. That gave him some satisfaction.

Scott and Isaac got him to the hotel room in record time. Stiles immediately left Isaac’s arms, driven toward his bag where he kept his suppressants. He pulled them out quickly, fumbling with the safety cap before finally getting it open. A cold, spine chilling feeling went through his body as he dumped the pills out onto the bed. They were a different color, barely noticeable if he hadn’t been paying attention now but totally a different shade of blue. Stiles felt his heart contract in pain.

“He fucked with my suppressants,” Stiles muttered, sinking down onto the floor. “He sent me into a heat. I haven’t had a heat since I presented and Derek’s more than two hours away right now.”

Scott and Isaac stood speechless as if they didn’t know how to comfort him.

“I-I need to call Derek,” Stiles spoke after a few seconds of silence. “He needs to come get me. I can’t stay here. I can’t-”

And since Derek was his mate, Stiles’s cell phone began to ring because his alpha already knew something was off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll knew shit was going to hit the fan eventually, sorry! I do hope you liked Stiles fighting back a little more. I promise there will be more of that to come. This is definitely the last straw for Stiles. Messing with someone's body is extremely rude!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys motivated the shit out of me with those comments so I've got part one of Stiles's heat for you! Woo!
> 
> For those of you who don't like heat scenes or smutty scenes in general, I'm terribly sorry:(( But a large majority of my readers wanted it! 
> 
> Couples things before I start:  
> -The chapter is written with both POV's so I do switch a couple times. Next chapter will be written the same but after that, it will return to normal.  
> -I did in fact read everyone's comments and tried my best to include what I saw. So if you suggested something and I didn't include in, let me know! I might have just missed it:)  
> -Part two will be updated this weekend hopefully (This chapter was already 21 pages on google docs... I needed to split it up)  
> -Tyler will get punished, I swear!

**Derek’s POV**

Derek knew Stiles told him not to worry but something felt off. He could feel it in his chest. It wasn’t like he was entirely used to this whole mate thing quite yet but whatever Stiles was feeling so strongly was making Derek feel uneasy. He was just going to call and make sure he was fine. If he was, he’d let him enjoy his lacrosse trip without further interruption but his wolf wasn’t going to settle down unless Derek made sure. 

The phone barely rang once before it was picked up. 

“Hey, I know you said not to worry but-” Derek began to speak, not waiting for Stiles to tease him about calling. He was cut off before he could finish his sentence by a small uneasy noise. “Stiles?” 

“Yeah,” the breathless voice answered. “Der, I need you.” 

Derek heart thumped frantically. His mate didn’t sound right. “Stiles? Baby, what’s wrong? Why do you sound like that? Did something happen?” Of course his mind went to the worst possible scenarios in the world. If that dickhead alpha, Tyler, touched Stiles, Derek was going to murder him. He didn’t even care about prison. He’d literally sink his claws into the man’s neck until his blood ran down his arm. 

He didn’t realize he was growling until Stiles spoke again and cut him off. “I-I, uh, something happened. I need you to come pick me up.” 

“What happened?” Derek asked, trying to keep his tone neutral. It hadn’t even been more than a day since he left. 

Stiles made another whimpering noise and Derek stood up, no longer able to sit still. There was movement on the other line and Derek was about to call out again when Scott spoke into the phone. 

“Derek, he’s fine, uh, he’s just in a bit of a troubling situation.” 

“What the hell does that mean, Scott? Would you guys stop speaking in code and just fucking tell me what’s going on.” He could hear Stiles making painful noises in the background and he was on the verge of crushing his phone but he needed it. 

“He’s in heat, Derek. Early stages if I paid any attention in health class but because of the suppressants, it’s worse than it would usually be.” 

Derek stopped pacing, dead center in his loft. “He’s in heat?” 

“Uh yeah, you cannot freak out if I tell you why, okay?” 

Derek didn’t want to agree but he needed to know. “Yeah, fine! Just tell me!” 

“Tyler fucked with his suppressants. Stiles hasn’t been taking the actual pill since our last practice which was two days ago. His body is going into heat because he basically went off of them cold turkey.” 

Derek say red, murderous, bloody red. “Did he touch him?” 

“No,” Scott paused, “Stiles actually attacked him after he found out. Got a few good punches in before we managed to pull him off. It was pretty impressive.” 

Despite his rage, Derek smiled, it was bitter and unpleasant but he was proud of Stiles. At least he had managed to teach him the skills that would keep him safe. He could imagine the satisfaction Stiles felt whenever his fist slammed into that asshole’s face. Derek wished he could feel the same satisfaction but he had more important things to focus on. 

“Keep him in the hotel room. I want one of you inside with him and one of you outside, blocking the door. Nobody comes near him, do you understand me, Scott? I’ll be there as soon as possible. Help him as much as you can until I get there.” 

“We will, Derek. Don’t worry. Isaac isn’t going to leave his side. It’s probably best if I stepped out. Not that I’m remotely attracted to my best friend in that way but the smell is a little overwhelming and not in a good way. We’ll make sure he’s safe, just get here fast. I’m not sure how much worse a heat is off of suppressants but he needs you.” 

Derek was already grabbing his keys. “And Scott? If you see Tyler, please do me a favor and tell him that if he’s anywhere near Stiles, I will kill him.”

 

* * *

 

**Stiles’s POV**

Stiles felt like utter shit. Not only had he already soaked through his boxers with slick but Derek was still more than two hours away. Once Scott had hung up on the phone, Stiles had curled up on the mattress, determined to wait this thing out. Tyler wanted to see him be weak, like he thought all omegas were but despite the annoying pain in his gut, Stiles ignored it. 

“He’s on his way, Stiles. I’m going to go watch the door, okay? Isaac is going to stay with you until Derek gets here,” Scott explained, looking uncomfortable. Stiles felt bad for him. 

“Thanks dude,” Stiles muttered, playing with the loose pieces of thread on the blanket to distract himself. The pain came in waves, small intense waves of neediness and slick. Right now, his waves were pretty far apart. Sooner or later, they were going to get worse. He knew that much was true. 

Scott gave him a smile before turning toward the door. Isaac stayed on the other bed, sitting cross-legged. “Do you want me to put the TV on?” 

Stiles shrugged. His omega was crying out for his mate but Derek was nowhere close to getting to him yet. He needed to keep the need at bay until his alpha could take care of him. He was strong enough to do that. 

Isaac turned the TV on and sat back against the pillows. As a beta, he never had to worry about heats or ruts. Such a lucky neutral party. Stiles’s aggravated side hated him a little bit. He didn’t have to experience the uncomfortableness of a heat. Although, Stiles was happy he was there. It kept him distracted and stopped him from touching himself. 

An hour passed in silence. The only sound there ever was was whatever played on the screen and the occasional noise that was Stiles’s muffled growls of annoyance whenever a rush of pain or slick went through his body. It began to rain a little while later which added to the quiet noise in the room. Stiles had crawled under the covers a while back and somehow managed to remove his jeans and boxers without drawing Isaac’s attention. They were too wet and sticky to keep on. 

“You know,” Isaac cleared his throat, “you can take care of that if you need? I can go outside or into the bathroom.” 

Stiles choked in embarrassment. “N-no, I’m good!” He didn’t need to take care of anything until a wave hit and even then, if he tried hard enough, he could ignore it until it passed. 

Isaac blushed a deep red. “Sorry dude, I’m no good at this.” 

Stiles smiled tiredly. “The whole not talking, not commenting when I make strange noises is really good with me.”

Isaac nodded and turned his attention back to the TV, doing as Stiles wished. 

The urge to press his fingers into himself grew by the minute. He was sure the fact that he was resisting was only making matters worse but he just wanted Derek. The idea of going through this alone just reminded him of his first heat. He had a mate now, someone who would care for him and help him through his peak. Waiting was the hardest part. 

“I’m going to check on Scott, okay?” Isaac announced, climbing off the bed. Stiles nodded, eyes trying to focus on the Tv as best as he could. A wave hit him sharply as soon as Isaac closed the door. He cried out and felt his hole pulse, aching with need. Part of him wondered if Derek could feel how badly he ached for him, if he was feeling the same way. 

Stiles closed his eyes and imagined Derek next to him. His alpha would whisper sweet words into his ear, telling him how strong he was, how beautiful he was. He’d spread his legs and press a thick finger inside of him, teasing him gently. He’d make Stiles beg so sweetly before he gave him anything more, knowing how much his mate could take. A third finger would join the other two in a quick movement, punched right into Stiles’s prostate. That would cause him to clench and beg more, opening his legs, begging for Derek’s cock which he knew would fill him so wonderfully. 

Stiles realized what he was doing too late to stop it. His fingers were hooked inside of him, pumping in and out as he moaned shamelessly into the pillow. It was too late to stop, too late to pull his fingers away. The thought of Derek’s cock had him on the verge of coming and a few more presses against his prostate had him spurting under the covers, against his stomach as he panted and whined. It was over too soon and despite having three fingers inside, he still felt empty. Derek needed to get to him and soon. 

Another hours passed without Derek and Stiles was beginning to worry he’d never make it. Isaac had returned to the room and instead of staying on the other bed, he approached Stiles on his. Stiles hadn’t realized how badly he was shaking until Isaac pulled him toward his chest. The beta was being nice, trying to give the omega some comfort. Stiles could tell he wasn’t so sure of himself but the touch felt nice even though it wasn’t his alpha. 

“He’s coming, Stiles. Don’t worry.” 

Another wave hit him, exactly an hour after the last one. Stiles had been keeping track. Most first day waves were spaced further apart, at least by a couple of hours. Stiles knew it was because of the suppressants, his body was trying to fix itself. Just because suppressants worked, didn’t mean they were necessarily healthy. 

Stiles just closed his eyes and prayed it would be over soon. He felt Isaac tighten his grip as his body trembled harder. Touching himself would relieve some pain, make this wave go by faster but he couldn’t bring himself to do it again. He’d wait this one out as painful as it was. 

He didn’t get the chance to completely hate on his body because the door burst open and revealed his disheveled, dripping wet alpha. The smell of his rut was lingering just under the surface of his normal scent. Stiles knew that since they were mated now, Derek would go into ruts whenever Stiles had his heats. It was the one downside of mating an omega, you got more ruts but whenever you had somebody to spend it with, it wasn’t so horrible. 

“Der,” Stiles whimpered, smelling his scent through the smell of rain. “You’re here.” 

Derek rushed over to the omega and Isaac shifted away, giving them room. He pressed a wet kiss to Stiles’s forehead, breathing in his scent. Stiles felt his hole leak more slick now that his alpha was here for them. 

“Did you run here or something?” Stiles muttered, nuzzling closer even though he was wet. His scent alone calmed the desperation of the heat and eased the pain of his current wave. Derek was out of breath, although Stiles couldn’t tell if that was because he actually did run or if the heat was affecting him quickly. 

Derek growled softly, nipping at Stiles’s mating bite. “Car broke down a few miles back.” 

Stiles snorted. “You actually ran here? In the rain?” 

“My mate needed me.” 

“Fuck, if I wasn’t already horny, that probably would have done it for me.” 

Derek kissed him again, softer this time. “How bad is it?” 

“Waves are like an hour apart right now. They’re going to get closer together and stronger. It’s going to get much worse, I can feel it. I wanna go home, Der. I don’t want to be here, please.” 

Derek gave him a very sad look, brushing the sweat matted hair from his forehead. “Baby, it’s a two hour drive and my car is broken down. We can’t go anywhere right now.” 

Stiles trembled and clenches as the tail end of his wave went through him. He cried out into Derek’s chest and hold onto the man’s wet clothes. He wanted Derek’s cock inside of him like yesterday but he didn’t want to do it here. Not in this hotel where Tyler was. Not with other alphas that would be able to hear him moan pathetically as Derek took him. 

“Shh, baby,” Derek cooed, holding Stiles closer and rubbing up and down his spine. “Let it pass, it’s okay.” An entire minute passed before Stiles could ease his grip. His muscles unclenched and went quiet inside of him. 

“Please, Der,” he whispered. 

Derek shook his head, a sympathetic look crossing his face. “Baby, your heat is already sending me into a rut. There’s no way, even if I found a car, we’d be able to make it back to Beacon Hills. Your heat is going to get worse and we can’t be on the move when my rut hits. I want you safe and I’ll make sure you are safe. Nobody will touch you while I’m here. I’ll rip their throats out if they come anywhere near you.” 

Stiles’s eyes went wide at the notion but his omega whined submissively, liking the possessiveness his alpha displayed. Derek was going to protect him. Derek was here now and nobody, not even Tyler could hurt him. 

Scott stepped into the room and Derek reared around, snarling and blocking Stiles from view. 

“Shit, sorry!” Scott called, raising his hands in the air and tilting his neck to show he meant no harm. “Not trying to take him, Derek. I come in peace.” 

Derek held his stance but stopped growling. “Sorry, Scott but never sneak up on me like that, got it?”  

“All good man, I get it. I just wanted to tell you that most of the team pitched in for a hotel room, one of those fancy ass suites on the top floor. They think that what Tyler did was unacceptable and incredibly wrong. Some of the them are dating omegas themselves so they know how it is. Heats aren’t something to mess with. They’re all willing to be witnesses if you want to report him.” 

Stiles’s heart swelled at the kindness. He knew the team, for the most part, liked him. After he had proved himself at the first lacrosse game, they had taken a liking toward him but this had been unexpected. 

“Those rooms are crazy expensive,” Stiles muttered. 

Scott shrugged. “Rich parents?” 

“We’ll take it,” Derek answered for them. “I want a safe place for Stiles. If his team cares as much as they say they do, I don't want Tyler anywhere near Stiles.”

Scott nodded. “The suite is usually on its own floor. You should be okay. He'll be distracted by the game tomorrow anyway.” 

“That little shit shouldn't even be allowed to play,” Derek growled, eyes flashing briefly. 

Stiles shook his head. “Let him play. The team needs him to win.” 

“Seriously?” Derek snapped and made Stiles flinch. “He fucked with your suppressants, Stiles. That's illegal!”

Stiles took a deep breath, “Let him play, let the scouts see how good he is, let him think he got away with it and then we'll tell my dad after this heat. We'll tell him what happened and bring the suppressants as proof.” Stiles wasn't usually a vengeful person but Tyler had messed with his biology, something that could have turned out a lot worse had Scott and Isaac not been there for him. 

“Are you sure?” Scott questioned.

The omega nodded. “I want him to believe he got away with it. I want him to get that scholarship from the scouts and then have it ripped away. He needs to know that what he did was not only wrong but illegal. He needs to deal with the consequences.”

 

* * *

 

**Derek's POV**

It was Stiles's decision, as long as he decided to report Tyler, that was all Derek cared about. They didn't need to focus on him anymore. They needed to focus on what Stiles needed now. The poor omega’s waves were too close for the amount of time he had been in heat. They should have been a few hours apart, not a single hour. 

Derek knew it was uncommon to peak on the first day of heat. That was usually reserved for the second day but nobody really knew how Stiles would react off of suppressants. For all they knew, he could have multiple peaks as his body tried to deal with the surprise heat.

Scott and Isaac helped them get Stiles up to the suite the team had rented for them. The room was big, almost twice the size of the rooms they were in before. It was like a mini apartment with a kitchen, a TV, a bed and a bathroom with a really cozy looking tub.

Stiles had whined when they made him put his pants back on, complaining that he was only going to ruin another pair. Derek didn't give him a choice, using a low version of his alpha voice to convince his omega to slip some sweats on. Stiles only did it because he wasn't about to walk out of the hotel room naked. Hotel security assured them that they'd be able to move up to the suite alone once they explained the situation. 

Derek laid Stiles on the bed, before returning to Scott and Isaac for a moment. “Nobody touch him, right? You're not just lying for my sake?” 

Isaac shook his head. “Nobody touched him. We promise.”

Derek nodded, letting out a sigh of relief. This could have ended so much worse. Some alpha could have taken advantage of Stiles, not that Stiles would have let it happen. He would have gone down kicking and screaming, Derek knew that but the idea still frightened him more than anything. 

“Thank you both,” Derek said after a moment. “Thank you for keeping him safe.” 

“Now it's your turn to take care of him,” Scott replied. “He's lucky to have you.” 

Derek half smiled at the ground. “Win the game for him tomorrow. I know how much he was looking forward to it.” 

“Even more reason for us to win,” Isaac replied with a coy smile and then they were gone and Derek was alone with his omega.

Stiles had managed to twist out of his sweats and t-shirt, leaving him deliciously naked on top of the sheets. Derek's cock throbbed at the sight, a sight he had seen a few times now but never got tired of. 

“Sorry,” Stiles muttered when Derek approached. “Too warm. They were sticking to my skin.” 

Derek scooped the naked boy up for a moment to move the covers out of the way and place him on the cooler sheets. He heard the audible sound of content as soon as Stiles's body touched it. 

“Der,” Stiles whispered, rolling toward the man. “I don't want pups yet.” 

Derek let out a strangled chuckle, caught off guard by the statement. “Neither do I, baby. Maybe in the future after you graduate from college. Whenever we are settled down and ready.” 

Stiles nodded. “But I still want you in me,” he continued softly, blushing as he said the words. “Just with a condom and stuff.” 

“I was just waiting for you to give me your consent.” 

Stiles's eyes narrowed. “Ass, I'm your mate, I feel like that's consent enough.” 

“Nah, always want to hear you say it.” 

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Stiles asked impatiently. His cock definitely wasn't necessary yet but Stiles liked having sex with Derek in general. 

“I don't want either of us to tire out too quickly. I’m barely holding back with my rut right now and as soon as it starts, we're probably going to be fucking like bunnies.” 

Stiles cackled. “Wow, way to make it sound romantic!”

Derek shrugged shamelessly. It was the truth. Neither of them had experienced a heat and rut together. Stiles was going to need a knot once the waves got too rough and Derek was going to need to knot once his rut hit fully. He could feel it tingling on the surface, aware of the in-heat omega but not quite there yet.

“Please don't make me wait,” Stiles whimpered as a smaller, less intense wave went through him. Those weren't uncommon in between bigger ones. They were mainly to make sure Stiles was wet and open when the bigger waves came. 

Derek rolled Stiles onto his side, away from him so that he couldn't see. Stiles made a noise and tried to turn around as Derek climbed into the bed but the alpha stopped him. 

“I need to know that you trust me,” Derek whispered, trailing a single finger down Stiles's spine. The boy shivered and barely caught the whine that escaped his lips. “That you'll say no if I do anything you don't want, that you'll talk to me and not turn into an unresponsive mess because I can't do this alone.” 

Stiles nodded urgently as Derek grew closer to the dripping wet part of him. Derek could practically feel the heat radiating off of him. The smell grew sweeter as Stiles slipped deeper into it. Derek had tried to resist, knowing it was only going to trigger his rut faster, the more he took in but it was too sweet, too mouthwatering. 

“Wanna hear you say it, Stiles,” Derek encouraged because he needed to hear the word. Stiles tried to push his hips back so that Derek would touch him already but Derek stopped him. Because of the bond, Derek would be able to tell when Stiles desperately needed it and when he was okay to tease for a little while.

“Nuh uh,” Derek whispered, holding the omega's hips still. “Answer me first, baby.” 

Stiles growled, although it was muffled against the pillow and nowhere near threatening. When there was more silence, Derek dipped his finger down in between the boy’s cheeks and pressed gently against his hole. Stiles nearly lost himself, gasping and pushing back more. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Stiles panted, “I trust you, Der! Please!” 

Derek smiled to himself and pressed his single finger inside. “Good boy.” 

Stiles preened, clenching around Derek's finger which both of them knew wasn't enough. Fingers weren't going to be enough in general once Stiles was in full heat.

“Y-you know,” Stiles breathed, “I’m kind of glad Tyler did this.” Derek finger stilled, making Stiles whine. “N-no, not like that. I still want to murder him but if there was any form of revenge he could have taken on me, this is the least painful one, oddly enough. ‘Cause at least I have you. I don't even want to think about how it would feel alone.” 

Derek resumed his fingering, adding in a second one and pressing a kiss to Stiles's mark. “You never have to go through a heat alone, okay? I'll always be here.” 

Stiles shuddered and came against his stomach and the sheets without warning. Derek's cock pulsed at the feeling of muscles clenching around his fingers. He could only imagine how good that was going to feel once his rut hit. 

“So sensitive,” Derek teased once Stiles relaxed a little more. “This is going to be a long heat.” 

Stiles nodded weakly. He turned toward Derek, hand reaching in between them, straight for Derek’s hard cock. He narrowly managed to get away. Any amount of stimulation was definitely going to send him straight into his rut and he was trying very hard to hold it off. 

Stiles made a sad face. 

“Later,” Derek promised. “I want you to try to sleep first. If it’s worse whenever you wake up, we’ll talk. Your next wave shouldn't hit for a bit. Maybe if you're sleeping, it won't be as bad.” 

“Doubtful,” Stiles mumbled but was already closing his eyes. 

Derek waited until he was asleep to get up from the bed. He needed to make sure the area was protected and heat ready. There was no telling how delirious Stiles could get in the middle of it. Derek prayed he’d stay coherent as most omegas did because he needed him. The both of them couldn’t lose themselves in this; it would turn out disastrous if they did. Derek’s wolf was already on edge due to the situation and his impending rut. They were in the most secure place but Derek was going to make it so they could both feel safe. 

After ordering a shit ton of food and water from room service and requesting that they only sent a beta up, Derek placed one of the couches in front of the door, not heavy enough to stop anyone from opening the door but enough to stall them and signal Derek in time. His instincts were everywhere all at once, most of them wanting him to go back into the bedroom and mate Stiles until he couldn’t stand anymore. He ignored him as best as he could, making sure the doors were locked, the windows were shut and all the stuff he ordered was placed into the fridge. It was a surprise he wasn’t nesting or doing something else weird and obscure. 

If it weren’t for the thought of Stiles waking up needy and alone, Derek would have gone downstairs and found Tyler by now. But being held in jail wasn’t going to do any good for Stiles. He needed his alpha to get him through the heat. As much as Derek wanted to see the fear of God in Tyler’s eyes for what he did, he knew they’d have time for that later. Nothing else mattered but Stiles. 

Stiles’s next wave hit right on time, forty-five minutes after the last one. Derek’s omega jolted awake, half growling, half whining in pain. He curled in on himself on the bed, clutching his abdomen. This wave was longer and forced Stiles onto his hands and knees to breathe. Derek hated Tyler, hated him for making Stiles go through something he had been trying to suppress since it first happened. It was nobody’s right except for Stiles’s how he dealt with being an omega. There were alphas who took suppressants to avoid ruts. That didn’t mean they weren’t accepting themselves, they were just avoiding an unnecessary, annoying part of their biology. 

The position Stiles had put himself in wasn’t helping Derek’s self control. He could see Stiles’s glistening hole, pulsing and leaking rhythmically. It made his wolf growl and push at the surface. Control, for the both of them, was at the utmost importance.

“Derek?” Stiles called breathlessly. “Derek, shit it hurts.” 

“I’m right here,” Derek answered, coming into view. Stiles was braced on his forearms, head hanging heavily between his arms. “Look at me, Stiles.” 

He did, amber eyes boring into Derek’s. 

“Do you want me to knot? Or do you want to wait until it gets worse.” The downside of knotting so soon was that it would trigger not only Derek’s rut but also send Stiles into a full heat faster than normal. However, Derek felt an intense need to mark and mate Stiles right away. His wolf was already on edge due to the circumstances. 

Stiles winced and looked unsure. 

“K-knot,” he answered after a moment. Derek nodded, knowing what they were getting themselves into. It was going to be a long three days but they were going to get through it together. “Knot me, Der.” 

Derek growled, his wolf pleased by the lustful sounds coming from his mate. He would have shredded his clothes but they were the only ones he had brought. Impatiently, he removed each article until he was naked. Stiles whined at the sight of him and arched his back to present more.

“You presenting for me?” Derek whispered huskily, climbing onto the bed. “Are you showing me that pretty little hole of yours?” 

Stiles nodded frantically. His heat was clouding Derek’s mind quickly as the alpha let it in. He allowed the smell to fill his nose, allowed Stiles’s position to fill his mind and embraced his rut. 

Derek dipped his fingers into the cleft of Stiles’s ass, not pushing in yet but getting the tips ready with slick. Stiles waited patiently, only moving his hips a few times. Derek was enthralled by his mate’s body, speckled with freckles, creamy flesh that made him want to leave marks all over it. 

“Derek,” Stiles grunted. 

“Yeah,” he replied, snapping out of his trance, “I’ll take care of you. Let me just open you up.” 

Stiles shook his head. “I’m wet enough, just do it, please.” 

Derek was going to reply with a stern no but Stiles was incredibly wet and gaping slightly. That was the point of a heat, no preparation necessary. He had already been in heat for almost three hours now as well. 

“If it hurts-” 

“I’ll tell you to stop, I know the drill. Please, do something!” Stiles demanded and made Derek’s wolf both aroused and dominant. 

Derek was inches away from pushing in whenever he remembered that heats equaled pregnancy and neither of them wanted a baby yet. As hot as the thought of breeding Stiles was, they really did not need to bring an innocent pup into this world yet. He grumbled, reaching for his pants on the ground while Stiles waited rather impatiently now. Unfortunately, Derek only ever carried one condom in his pocket which meant they were going to need more. They’d figure that out later. 

As soon as he fumbled the condom on, he was back, pressing into Stiles ever so slowly. He was open but that didn't mean Derek was just going to slam right in even if his wolf wanted to. Stiles moaned, loosening around him for a brief moment to allow the alpha to slip in. As soon as they got Derek's full length in, Stiles clenched. He knew the little brat did it on purpose because Derek was controlling himself rather than fucking him into oblivion. There was a small smirk on Stiles’s face that Derek could barely see but knew was there. 

“Shit,” he cursed, hunching over Stiles's body. Stiles moved one of Derek's hands to his body and held it there with his own hand. Derek's hips stuttered and he could feel himself deep inside his omega. It made his wolf possessive as fuck, thinking of a pup growing inside of him. 

“Der, fuck-” 

“I know!” Derek growled and moved his hips back before snapping them forward. Stiles cried out, a sound that made Derek think he hurt him until he began to moan and whimper. Derek kept going because unless Stiles was hurt, he couldn't stop himself. 

“That feel good, baby?” he asked, feeling his canines itching at his gums. Stiles could only moan more. Rut were different when his cock actually had something to fuck into, something warm and wet opposed to a plastic fleshlight. He could feel Stiles’s blood pulse through his body, hear his heart beat and skip each time he pushed in. Their bond connected them in such a way that Derek could feel Stiles’s pleasure, more so than he noticed any other time they had sex. 

“Derek, fuck me harder, please!” Stiles gasped, rolling his hips. For having been a virgin a few weeks ago, Stiles sure learned quickly. The heat was also driving him to do things he normally wouldn’t, like blatantly ask Derek to fuck him harder.

Derek gripped the omega’s hips, pistoning him back onto his cock again and again. He slammed into Stiles’s prostate dead on, causing him to scream in pleasure. His hands frantically grabbed for the sheets, clutching them in his grip. They were definitely rocking the bed with each movement and Derek was entirely thankful they were in a room without people next to them. Stiles was already going to be embarrassed once he cooled down, he didn’t need that on top of it. 

Soon, Stiles got more courage and began to rock back against Derek, meeting each of his thrusts with equal force. Derek let go of his hips, letting him take whatever he wanted, however he wanted. 

“Take what you need, baby,” he encouraged, enjoying the feeling of pure pleasure without all the work. Stiles wasn’t stopping, in fact, the words seemed to only make him go faster. “Good boy, so perfect,” Derek praised softly. 

The words made him clench harder and Derek rose an eyebrow. Previous times, Derek had praised Stiles but in heat, his omega was more at the surface and his omega fed off of it. He could tell he boy was close to coming as was he. His knot had grown almost to full size without him even noticing. With each thrust, he pushed it inside only to drag his entire length back out, leaving Stiles gaping even more. 

“Fuck,” Derek breathed, looking at his mate take him so perfectly. He’d whine every time Derek’s length left him and gasp each time he pushed it back in. It was a game to see how long he could go without begging, how long he could keep it together before he was screaming for Derek’s knot. 

He hardly lasted a minute. “Derek! Oh God, please, please, please!” 

“What do you want?” Derek questioned, slowing his thrusts. He was extremely close to coming but he wanted to hear Stiles first. 

“”You!” he growled. “Want your cock!” 

Derek grinned and slammed back in, aiming straight for the boy’s prostate. His knot slipped in just as Stiles came with a throaty scream. He spasmed and squeezed around Derek’s knot. The alpha held it together for a few more sharp thrusts before he was coming too, locked inside his mate’s body. Stiles milked Derek pointlessly but Derek didn’t care. He could only focus on the intense warmth that enveloped his knot so well.

Minutes passed with Derek still coming into the condom. Stiles’s body had calmed down, still pulsing every so often whenever Derek’s cock jerked and pressed into his sensitive prostate. Ever so slowly, Derek shifted them so they could lie on their sides. Unlike their first time, he had managed to do so without causing Stiles to come again. He knew how sensitive Stiles was normally and the heat probably only made it worse. 

“Thank you,” Stiles mumbled quietly. “I don't know what I'd do without you.” 

Derek kissed his shoulder. “It shouldn't have happened this way. Should have been when you were ready to go off of them, ready for a pup or something. We would have been ready.” 

“I know,” Stiles answered. “I should have been paying attention to my suppressants. I should have known he was going to do something.” 

A short snarl escaped Derek's lips. “Don't you dare blame this on yourself. He did this to you and he's going to pay for it.” 

“He will,” Stiles agreed. “This was my last straw. I could have been attacked, though I'm sure that was what he was hoping for.” 

Derek forced himself to close his eyes and take a deep breath. He was knotted to Stiles and he was going to remain that way for another fifteen minutes or so. That was truly a blessing in this case since he'd probably run out the door and kill Tyler if he was able to. 

“No more Tyler talk,” Stiles told him, most likely sensing his anger. “We have a long three days ahead of us. I don't want you to be mad.” 

Derek shook his head. “As long as you're here, as long as I can get you through this heat, that's all I care about.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that was good! I have a hard time writing smutty scenes so if you liked it, please let me know! I tried to be slightly kinky but again, I have a hard time writing these scenes. Part two is being written so like I said before, if you wanted to see something and I didn't add it again, tell me so I can put it in part two!


	22. Chapter 22

**Stiles’s POV**

Stiles remembered the alpha’s hands wrapping around his throat before he was shaken out of a nightmarish dream. The first thing he noticed was that he was sweating bullets. The second thing was Derek looking awfully concerned above him. He tried to ask what was wrong but he couldn’t get the words out. Something was wrong with his throat, with his mouth. Instead of words, choked noises left his lips and instead of beads of sweat rolling down his face, there were tears. It took him a moment to realize he was sobbing uncontrollably.

“Shh, Stiles, you’re okay,” Derek whispered, pulling Stiles’s naked body closer to his own. He ached in places he didn’t like aching in and because he was sobbing so hard, he was having a hard time controlling his breathing. “Deep breathes, baby. I’m right here. You’re safe. You’re safe.”

Stiles felt safe but he couldn’t stop crying. All those damn hormones inside of him were messing with him. Whatever he had dreamt of, he didn’t remember it very well. He just knew Tyler was in it and that he had been trying to kill him or at least that was what he assumed he was doing by wrapping his hands around his throat. Either way, something had spooked Stiles badly enough to wake up like this.

“Talk to me, baby. I’m here. Tell me what happened.”

Stiles shook his head, sucking in deep breathes. He was okay, his body and brain just needed to understand that. Derek had been sleeping too from the look in his eyes. He was still blinking sleep out of them and trying to adjust them to the darkness in the room. Stiles caught sight of the clock behind him which read 2:45. They hadn’t slept for more than a couple of hours.

Eventually, Stiles got himself to stop crying, breathing in Derek’s strong scent with every breath. He smelled deeply of sex and arousal but Stiles could still scent the warm, comforting smell that was his mate. He probably didn’t smell any better either. Despite not having an extra condom, Derek had still managed to get Stiles off, keeping his body sedated so that he could sleep before another wave hit.

“What were you dreaming about?” Derek asked gently, running a soothing hand through Stiles’s damp hair. “I woke up and you were sobbing.”

“Sorry,” Stiles muttered, causing Derek to give him a disapproving look. “It was just a bad dream, I don’t even remember it. Must have been the heat.” Thankfully, Derek could tell if Stiles was lying or not so there was nothing more to say.

“You’re safe,” Derek repeated for the third time and Stiles was beginning to think he was saying it to reassure himself as well.

“Okay,” Stiles answered because he wasn’t sure what else to say.

After a long pause, Derek growled quietly, “I’ll kill him next time I see him.”

Stiles snuffled into Derek’s chest. “I’d rather not have to come visit you in jail but I appreciate you watching out for me. I think ripping away his scholarship, getting him expelled and possibly sent to prison is punishment enough. Violence never suited me,”

“Says the boy in my self defense class.”

“That’s just in case that asshole decides he wants to take another shot at me,” Stiles replied bluntly. “It’s not like I’m a pacifist, Der. I just don’t always think violence is the answer. Ruining someone’s life, well that’s a different thing.”

Derek cracked a smile. It only lasted for a moment as if he remember what kind of situation they were in.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Stiles asked, wondering why his alpha felt so sad all the sudden.

“Not being there for you right when you needed me. For not being able to bring you home.”

Stiles looked up at Derek with curious eyes. “You were right, we wouldn’t have made it home. You made the smartest decision for the both of us. You’re keeping me safe, right?”

Derek nodded.

“Then don’t be sorry, please.”

A soft kiss found its way to Stiles’s lips, brushing ever so gently. He could tell Derek was trying to control himself. The smell of intense heat probably didn’t help his rut and Stiles could feel his wave coming back for a vengence. He tucked himself into Derek’s chest, not wanting it to happen so soon after waking up but knowing he had been given a break to sleep. It hadn’t even been a full twenty four hours and Stiles was about done with this heat.

“Is it coming back?” Derek questioned, rubbing circles into Stiles’s back.

“Y-yeah, any minute now,” Stiles muttered, feeling the telltale signs of another painful wave. They were probably going to get closer now that he was awake. If he had any guess for how it was going to go, it was going to get much worse as the day went on. This was technically day two, the worst of the worst. This was also the day he was supposed to be playing in the state finals.

“I’m going to go downstairs to the store and grab us some condoms before it gets too bad, okay?” Derek told him, breathing in his scent and growling quietly. “We don’t have too much time. I want you to go take a shower while I go, hmm? A nice cold shower to wash all the sweat away.”

Stiles made a happy noise at the thought. He felt sticky and gross and the idea of being able to wash all that down the drain made him want to jump to his feet. But then again, the idea of jumping to his feet made him nauseous so he remained where he was.

“Alright, let's get you to your feet, baby.” Derek got out of bed first, leaving Stiles with no warmth. The omega let out a needy whimper, unable to hold it back.

Derek chuckled, “Hey, none of that. I'm right here.”

Stiles nodded, reaching for Derek's hand when the alpha held it out. He struggled to pull himself out of the bed, not really wanting to move but craving that shower like it was air. He let Derek carry most of his weight, limbs feeling like jello.

Derek leaned Stiles against the tub as he turned the water on and tested the temperature. His mate returned to him after deeming the water the correct temperature and pulled Stiles back to his feet. He tried to hold up his weight but failed epically, sagging against Derek's.

“Alright, step on in.”

Stiles felt the lukewarm water hit his warm body and sighed. It felt good even though it wasn't ice cold. The temperature was a nice start to ease his body temperature down. Derek helped Stiles lean against the wall, wetting himself in the process. Stiles had a strong desire to push Derek down to the ground and ride him until he felt full enough. But he had more dignity than that. He forced himself to let go of Derek's comforting body and stand on his own in the shower.

“I'll be back as soon as I can,” Derek whispered, kissing Stiles briefly. “Shower off and if you start to feel weak, I want you to sit down until I get back.”

Stiles nodded, feeling his hole flutter with need. He needed Derek back with the condoms before his wave hit. He didn't notice his mate leaving until he felt the water touching parts of his body that it hadn’t before. Immediately, he slumped down against the wall, curling up until the stream of water. It wasn’t that he was weak already, he just really liked the idea of sitting underneath the cool water.

He closed his eyes eventually and let the water puddle around him on the shower floor. He didn’t want to think about the slick and come that was probably mixing underneath his bottom. Instead, he patiently waited for his mate to return.

**Derek’s POV**

Derek hated leaving Stiles in such a state. It wasn't safe but there was no way they were going to have sex without a condom. It was two in the morning and Stiles was going to get worse by the hour. He needed to do it now. The only way he left Stiles alone was because he half asked, half threatened one of the beta bellhop’s to guard the door while he went downstairs. He was 99 percent sure he scared the beta so shitless that he'd guard the door without any questions asked.

The store wasn't more than a few hundred yards from the hotel, a 24 hour convenience store that Derek was eternally grateful for. Not only did he smell deeply of sex but he was becoming aggravated with every little thing. Being away from Stiles didn't help either. He found himself growling at the elevator whenever it didn't move quick enough. Each second that ticked by left Stiles more alone and closer to his next wave.

Inside the store, it was completely dead. Derek was thankful for that fact since he probably reeked of pure heat and rut. Plus, nobody needed to be around him at the moment. His wolf was agitated and extremely impulsive. He searched for the condom aisle with intensity, finding it quickly and practically running down it until he found what he was looking for.

Derek always believed there were way too many condom choices. He just wanting a simple pack that would get Stiles through his heat. He didn’t need the one with the extra lubrication or the one that felt like nothing was there. They were all great and if he truly had time to look through them, he’d probably pick up something a little better to please Stiles but he needed to be back in his hotel room right now. He grabbed the first box that fit what he needed; a box of sixteen should do for the remainder of the heat.

The look the cashier gave him was so unamused.

“Did you find everything you need?” she asked, looking him up and down, nostrils flaring at the smell.

Derek was never one to get embarrassed about the topic of sex. His mom has raised him and his sister to treat sex as any other topic rather than taboo so he wasn’t even the slightest bit concerned about what the beta cashier thought of him. He just nodded his head jerkily, waiting for her to ring the box up and tell him his total. He threw a ten dollar bill on the counter, grabbed the box and booked it out the door. The cashier yelled after him about how he had change but Derek didn’t care.

The beta bellhop was waiting, still frozen as a statue when Derek got back to the room. He began to tremble whenever he saw Derek barging toward him. The smell was intense outside of the room and he could hear Stiles moaning loudly inside. The beta looked so uncomfortable that Derek felt a little bad. He tossed a twenty dollar bill at him, using that as his cue to leave. Derek waited until he was in the elevator before opening the door.

His wolf went wild the second he stepped into the room. It smelled more like heat than it had when he left just a few minutes ago which meant Stiles was going further into his cycle. It was technically too nearly to be peaking but this was no normal heat and by the smell of it, Stiles was definitely peaking already. That also unfortunately meant Derek's theory of multiple peaks was proven correct. Suppressants weren't always a godsend.

Somehow, he found his way to the shower, although his mind was so clouded with rut and heat and _breedbreedbreed_ that he wasn’t quite sure how he got there. Stiles was underneath the stream of water, rocking back on his fingers as he knelt, legs spread in a _present_ position. Derek growled, catching his mate’s attention. Stiles gasped and stuttered but wasn’t able to stop pounding his fingers into his body.

“I-I’m sorry,” Stiles whimpered, spreading his legs further, “I-I can’t-”

The distress coming off of his mate snapped Derek out of his aggressive mind set. He immediately removed his clothes and crouched down where Stiles was. Stiles looked up at him with desperate eyes and all Derek could think of was how badly he wanted to kill Tyler for doing this to Stiles. Everything about his expression was pained.

Stiles was on him before he could get a word out. He pressed him into a sitting position against the wall, straddling his lap. Derek’s cock was painfully hard and he desperate wanted to press into Stiles’s hole but he reached for the condoms first, which he had dropped right outside the shower. Stiles wouldn’t stop grinding on him, trying to get him inside in a frantic manner.

“Stiles,” Derek said with authority, trying to grab the boy’s attention. The sharp alphaness in his voice caused Stiles to whimper and stop his movements. All at once, he looked horrified with himself, having lost himself to the heat for a moment like Derek had to his rut.

“I'm sorry-” Stiles said quietly, looking ashamed. His hips still twitches minutely, an uncontrollable movement. Derek could practically feel Stiles’s hole fluttering against his cock. “I'm sorry, it hurts, it hurts, Der.”

Derek's heart clenched and he brought Stiles's face forward, tucking it into the crook of his neck where he knew the omega could calm down. He felt Stiles take shaky breathes, the wet sensation of tears on his bare skin mixing with the water. While his mate was distracted, Derek ripped a condom open and slipped it on, feeling it cling to his skin. He didn't want to pull Stiles out of his comfort so instead, he resorted to staying in the shower and gently pushing his cock into Stiles's gaping hole.

Stiles jerked and gasped, a heavy hand gripping on Derek's wet shoulder. Derek could only imagine how wonderful it felt for Stiles to have something inside him, something to clench around and fill him. Despite being so open because of his peak, Stiles clenched around Derek so well.

“Lift yourself up and then push down,” Derek instructed, hands resting on the boy’s hips to aid him. Stiles didn't question his alpha's instruction, just began to lift up on trembling legs. Derek helped him ease part way up and then go back down just as slow. It was maddening but they needed to start off slow. Derek needed to make this last for both of them.

Their movements continued for a few moments, gradually building up; the sound of the wet smack of their bodies together filling the shower. Each time Stiles would lift, Derek could feel him clenching tighter, trying to keep inside. He let out needy whimper after needy whimper, moaning as Derek filled him.

“Der,” Stiles whined, head still tucked in Derek's neck. “Der, please, more.”

Derek could feel the harsh tremble of the boy's thighs, trying but failing to take what he needed. Being mates, Derek could tell when Stiles was at his limit and right now, he was done. He needed Derek to take full control, to give he what he needed.

“Hold on to me,” Derek told him, having an idea. He waited until Stiles wrapped his arms around his neck and legs around his back, then stood. The movement pushed his cock deeper into Stiles’s hole, causing the boy to cry out and squeeze his legs tighter. The pressure around Derek’s cock made him stumble slightly, pressing Stiles’s body into the shower wall, although that he been his intention nonetheless. As the water cascaded down their bodies, Derek thrust upward feeling Stiles squeeze around him with every movement. He pumped in and out, seeking out Stiles’s prostate to get Stiles close to the edge of his orgasm.

“D-Der, Der,” Stiles sobbed, head thrown back against the wall, throat exposed. Derek had every desire to bite and nip at Stiles’s neck repeatedly, leave new marks all over him but he decide to just suck on his existing mark, knowing it would drive him crazy. The first bare touch of his lips to the bite caused Stiles’s hole to flutter. Derek licked at the mark, a slow glide followed by the drag of his teeth. Stiles’s grip tightened around him as he came with no warning. Derek kept thrusting through it, hoping that it would help drag it out and end the peak faster.

Except it didn’t.

As soon as Derek slowed his thrusts, his main object to get Stiles off rather than himself, the omega began to sob, moving frantically and desperately.

“No, no,” Stiles gasped, “please, it still hurts. Knot, I need your knot.”

Derek sighed. Wishful thinking. Slowly, he shut off the shower and held Stiles flush against his chest. The boy shook and sobbed heartbreakingly and Derek was beginning to see red again. He was barely able to control his wolf’s anger because Stiles was more important. Knotting Stiles was more important.

“Please,” Stiles muttered, muffled by Derek’s body. “I want it to stop hurting already.”

Derek shushed him, drying them off with one hand while his other held Stiles. After they were as dry as they could be in the position they were in, Derek let a hand trail down to where they were joined, tracing Stiles’s stretched rim. Stiles moaned and jumped a little.

“Do that again,” he begged.

Derek groaned a little, tracing the puffy skin again. He wanted to feel it stretch around his rim again. They stumbled over to the bed where Derek lied Stiles against the pillow. He slowly pulled out even though Stiles was holding on for dear life. As soon as his cock was completely out, Derek couldn’t help but stare at his open, fluttering hole.

“N-no,” Stiles gasped, “wait-”

Derek didn't leave him hanging for too long, rearranging them so that Derek was sitting up against the headboard with his legs spread, Stiles sitting on his cock with his back against Derek's chest and his legs held up under the knee by Derek's hands. He was exposed, completely fucked open by Derek’s cock inside of him. This wasn't the ideal knotting position but they’d adjust when they needed. In this position, Derek could control every one of Stiles’s movements, allowing him to just rest his head back against Derek’s shoulder and ride out the pleasure.

“O-oh,” Stiles breathed out as Derek canted his hips upward while simultaneously moving Stiles's ass up and down too. His head fell back, once again exposing his neck only this time, Derek didn't go for his mark. Instead, he tucked his nose into Stiles's scent gland and closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling and the scent. “Right there, Der. Right there, please. Oh God. Don't-”

Derek was too consumed by pleasure to stop. Something about the angle, about how spread open his mate was, consuming him like he was made for him. It all caused Derek’s knot to inflate, filling Stiles, stretching him more than usual. The boy’s mouth was open in an inarticulate cry, one hand gripping the back of Derek’s hand and the other struggling to tug at his cock.

“Come for me,” Derek growled into his skin. “Come for me, baby. I want to feel you.”

Not two seconds later, Derek’s knot slipped into the omega’s hole, locking them together and Stiles came violently. His cock spurted across his stomach and chest in thick stripes as Derek came inside of him. He could tell they both wished that Derek was truly filling him with come rather than just the condom. The thought made Derek come harder, moving Stiles in short abortive thrusts.

Exhausted, Stiles slumped against Derek’s chest, his own chest rising and falling rapidly as he cooled down. The urgency seemed to go down since Derek was knotted inside of him but neither of them knew when it was going to come back. Derek didn’t necessarily mind. Although it was tiresome, he’d never get enough of Stiles, not even in heat.

“‘M sleepy,” Stiles mumbled softly.

Derek couldn’t help but chuckle. “Wore you out, huh?”

“Always do,” he replied.

Derek adjusted them so that they could lie on their sides, kissing Stiles’s shoulder apologetically whenever he pulled a little too much on the poor boy’s sore rim. They lied next to each other, each growing more tired as the seconds passed. The lacrosse game wouldn’t be until that evening and Derek had an inkling of hope that Stiles’s heat would be over why then so he could at least see his team win but he also hated the idea of torturing him that way. Even if his heat did end early, Derek was going to let him decide what he wanted to do.

**Stiles’s POV**

The rest of Stiles’s heat went by relatively fine. He did peak a few more times that day but nothing was as desperate as the first because Derek was immediately inside of him the second he smelled it coming. They knotted and slept and cuddled. Derek licked at Stiles’s sore hole whenever he couldn’t take another knotting, bringing him to orgasm just from the feel of his tongue. In between waves, Derek was as gentle as he could possibly be, turning into a caretaker with the water and the food. Stiles was in heat heaven whenever it didn’t hurt like hell.

They missed the lacrosse game, although it had been on TV, Stiles decided not to watch it. He wished his friends good luck over text and hoped the team would win for everyone’s sake. He didn’t want to watch Tyler win it for the team. He knew his plan would work and whatever scholarship the alpha was offered would be immediately revoked but he still found it painful to think that it should have been him winning the game, it should have been him but Tyler made him it hadn’t been.

Derek kept his mind off of it for the most part. When they were having sex, they were watching movies and snacking on the various treats Derek had bought from room service. His dad had called mid afternoon on the second day, having heard the news. Stiles simply told him he was okay and that he’d explain everything later. Of course, being the father he was, he didn’t let it go so easily. Stiles did eventually convince him that now wasn’t the perfect time to speak in depth and that got him to ease off a bit.

Beacon Hills did end up winning the state championship. Scott and Isaac sent him a text that next when he was giving Derek a thank you blowjob. It hadn’t been Tyler who had scored the winning goal or even Scott for that matter. Apparently, it had been Isaac, who took Stiles’s place in the game. He told Stiles that he scored the goal for him and that made Stiles tear up a little, damn hormones. Scott reported that Tyler had been speaking with a scout and looked like he got an offer but he wasn’t sure. Stiles wasn’t too concerned with it because after all, it wasn’t going to matter once he reported the bastard.

His heat flared up once more in a dramatic outro on Saturday night after all the partying downstairs had died down and the crowds outside had gone away. He had been asleep, curled up next to Derek but they both sensed it as soon as it happened. Derek sleepily managed to pull on a condom before letting Stiles straddle his hips. He let Stiles do all the work, letting him take what he needed, how deep he needed, how fast, how rough. The only thing Derek did was whisper about how beautiful Stiles looked on top of him or about how he’d like to see Stiles’s belly swell one day with their pup. Stiles was pretty sure he came just from that thought, before Derek even knotted him. He came two more times, once whenever Derek’s knot slipped in and again when he pulled out, too sensitive to stop it.

After that, his body chilled out. His heat slowly died away, consuming him less and less by the hour and finally, by Sunday afternoon, it was mostly gone. There were still a few lingering sensations but for the most part, as far as Derek could tell, he was done. Stiles had cried tears of joy once it left his body, so thankful to be back in control. He had made it. Tyler hadn’t screwed him over too much.

But oh, he was about to screw him over _good_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The revenge is coming! *Evil laughter*
> 
> Heads up, this fic is coming to an end soon (sad, I know) but all must end at some point. I'm thinking there's probably three chapters left unless you guys want another Nate and Jupiter chapter before I officially end it and/or a epilogue. Not really sure yet but it is coming to an end. No tearful goodbyes yet but thank you for all your support! This fic has gone beyond what I thought it was going to be and I'm so happy with it!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took so long to update! I lack energy at the moment and school is basically murdering my sorry ass so that's fun! Hopefully I can finish this fic off soon! More excitement and drama to come. This is a more chill chapter since the last ones have been a lot.

Stiles and Derek left the hotel on Sunday night, after the lacrosse team was gone and a mechanic fixed up Derek's car. They probably could have left earlier but Stiles wasn't risking Derek seeing Tyler. It would be too much, not just for Derek but for Stiles too. He knew that if Derek saw him, he wouldn't stop short of killing him. As much as he wanted Tyler to pay for what he did, killing him and having Derek be put away in prison was not ideal. 

Derek made Stiles wear his sweaty t-shirt on the way out to the car since he still smelled of a lingering heat. Nobody approached him and hardly anyone even looked their way as they went out to the car but Stiles was pretty sure that was because Derek was crowding him like a clingy parent and not leaving his side. Stiles hardly blamed him. He let him leave his side for a weekend and ended up having to come rescue him anyway. 

“We’re going straight to the police station when we get home,” Derek said, speaking in a statement rather than a question. Stiles knew why. If he was given the choice of when to do it, he’d probably put it off for as long as possible. He was about to poke a sleeping bear and it wasn’t going to be pretty. 

“Yeah,” he answered quietly, staring at the road in front of him.

“I’ll be right there with you, okay? You don’t need to be scared of him. What he did was illegal. He’ll go away for this.” 

Stiles nodded, although he didn’t entirely believe that to be true. There were too many instances where people got away with very illegal things. They might let him off easy since he was the star of the lacrosse team or because his daddy had money. The judge could be a big fan and blame the unexpected heat on Stiles like some sort of victim blaming bullshit. There were just too many different ways for Tyler to get away with it and it made Stiles uneasy. At least he knew the scouts would take his scholarship away in a heartbeat. No school wanted that kind of negative publicity for one of their players and there was definitely going to be some if Derek had anything to do with it. 

Derek held his hand over the center console, squeezing it every now and then. Stiles could feel his guilt, had felt it all weekend even through the rage of horniness. For some reason, his alpha felt guilty for something he couldn’t have ever predicted or controlled. He wasn’t sure why but every time Derek squeezed his hand, a pungent smell of guilt would fill the air. Stiles wasn’t exactly sure what to say other than the obvious so he just continued to hold Derek’s hand. 

Being back in Beacon Hills felt strange, like everything was different. It wasn’t necessarily that dramatic but things were different now. Tyler had done something unimaginable and while the heat had helped Stiles keep his mind off it it, now it was all he could think about. There were so many ways that situation could have gone wrong, so many ways it could have ended differently and that was a terrifying thought. Things were going to change, more so than they already had. Only two outcomes were possible in this situation: Tyler was going to get what he deserved or he wasn’t. It was that simple. 

Derek could sense his worry as they pulled into the police station and turned off the car, not making a move to get out. This place had always been home to Stiles but in that moment, it didn’t feel like it anymore. It was just a dark building that held bad people inside of its doors. Unfortunately for him, his dad was working so there was no avoiding telling him the entire truth. 

“It’s going to be okay, Stiles,” Derek told him softly, turning in his seat so that he faced his mate. “They’re going to believe you. We have the evidence.” 

Lucky for them, Isaac and Scott had been smart enough to keep the pills after Stiles had dumped the content onto the bed in his panicked haze. He hadn’t thought of using them as evidence until Scott dropped the bottle off before they left back to Beacon Hills, telling them that they’d need it whenever they went to turn Tyler in. 

“I know,” Stiles acknowledged. “I know, I’m just nervous. It’s fine. I’m fine. I’m being dumb.” 

“You’re not being dumb,” Derek retorted. “You were violated, Stiles. It’s perfectly natural to feel nervous or scared. He’s pushed you too far, done to much for you to just let it slide again. It’s one thing to push you around but this, this is a sexual violation, even if he didn’t touch you,” the words were gritted out uncomfortably and Stiles could feel his strong anger.

“What if-” Stiles began to say before being cut off by Derek. 

“No, no what if’s yet, okay? We’re going in there and we’re telling your dad and whoever else will listen what happened and if they don’t believe us, then we’ll get Scott and Isaac and your entire lacrosse team to come in. But they will believe us.” 

Stiles swallowed and took a heavy, deep breath. He had to do this, for himself, for anyone else that Tyler’s ever hurt and for every omega who never had the courage to do the same. He needed to do it. 

“Okay,” he said softly. “Let’s go bring this bitch down.” 

Derek had never grinned harder in his life.

 

* * *

 

Telling his dad hadn’t been too hard, except for the fact that he looked like he wanted to murder someone the entire time. He asked a million questions, half of them probably weren’t even police mandated questions but rather fatherly questions. Stiles tried his best to answer each of them in detail. Whatever they could use against Tyler, he wanted them to. 

Talking to his Dad's deputy about it was a bit more awkward. He left out the part where Derek knotted him until he was shamelessly screaming his name because that wasn't really necessary for the report they were creating. All that was needed was what happened, where, who and why he was reporting it. All the basics. His dad informed him that if they were to take this to court, which he was going to make sure happened, that witnesses would help his case. Stiles knew he had at least two actual witnesses and Derek on his side so he was hopeful. 

Unfortunately, before any arrests could be made, they had to send the tampered suppressants to a lab to make sure they were actually the cause of his unwanted heat. The likelihood of them not being was extremely slim but being a man of the law and the sheriff, Stiles's dad had to follow protocol. It was only going to take a few days, he said, hopefully by Wednesday afternoon. Stiles wasn't sure he wanted to go back to school if Tyler was there. 

“You can arrest him the second they come back, right?” Derek interrupted, not liking the idea much either. 

“We can arrest him now under suspicion but we can't hold him for more than 24 hours with proper evidence. Even then, he can be bailed out so I'd rather wait until we have the pills and our witnesses lined up. I don't want to give him a head start on this. Right now, he's unaware you've even come forward with this information.” 

“That's the best way?” Stiles questioned. 

His dad nodded. “Once we have evidence, we're legally allowed to hold him for a longer period.” 

Stiles nodded. It seemed like the smartest move. Tyler didn't think Stiles would report him because why would he when he never had before? He wouldn't even see it coming. 

“You don't have to go back to school if you don't want, Stiles. I can call you out for a few days while this gets taken care of.” 

“No,” he answered, “Tyler doesn't get to think he's won. I'll go back to school and face him, it's fine. I'm not the weak omega he accuses me of.”

“That's right,” his dad agreed. “You're a strong kid.” 

“Plus there’s a festival to celebrate the state championship on Wednesday. I don’t want to miss it. I already missed the game. I’d like to be a this one if I could.” 

Stiles’s dad nodded. “It’s completely up to you, kiddo. I want you to feel safe.” 

“Yeah,” Stiles said gently, “unfortunately, I’m not going to feel safe until he’s gone. But I’ve dealt with it thus far, I can go a few more days.” 

Derek kissed the hand that he held in his own. “Is there anything else you need from us, John? I’d like to take him home, it’s been a long weekend.” 

Stiles’s dad shook his head. “That’s all, boys. I’d appreciate it if you took Stiles back to  _ our  _ home rather than yours, Derek. Nothing against you, I’d just rather him be home right now.” 

“Of course,” Derek responded politely. “Do you mind if I stay with him until you get home?” 

“I’d appreciate that.” 

Stiles didn’t feel like he needed anyone to protect him and part of him honestly wanted to be alone but he knew this was something his dad and Derek needed for their own mental stability. He had been violated and they hadn’t been able to do anything to stop it. This was one way to keep the guilt from eating them alive. 

“I’ll be home as soon as possible, okay? We’ll get this all sorted out.” 

“I know we will,” Stiles replied confidently. He needed to believe that.

 

* * *

 

It was like just after he was attacked. His friends crowded around him like a wolf pack, furiously protecting him against anything that came within a foot. Stiles didn’t mind it. He didn’t want to hear the rumors or the dumb things people whispered behind him back because everyone knew by now. Even if Tyler hadn’t explicitly told everyone, the news had still spread. People gravitated toward gossip. As long as Scott or Isaac or Malia spoke to him, he didn’t feel as utterly awful as he might have. 

But seeing Tyler was like a stab in the chest. He felt slightly panicky despite telling himself he was fine and safe that nobody would have touched him had Derek not been there. But it was the lack of control that made him feel unsafe. Tyler had taken his control, proven to him that he was nothing more than a slave to his biology without those suppressants. It made Stiles itch uncomfortably, like he could still feel the effects of his heat. 

It was that sick smile that was constantly plastered across his face, the way he fucking carried himself like he could get away with anything. And that was because Stiles had let him get away with it. He should have reported him when he woke up in the hospital room with crack ribs and bruises that marred his body. It would have saved him a lot of pain and fear but live and learn. Tyler and his dumbass face were going to get what they deserved. It made Stiles feel good to think that in just a few days, Tyler’s life, his perfect, perfect life was going to crumble. 

Escaping from school was the best part of his day by far. The quietness of his home was beautiful and the realization that he still had self defense lessons to look forward to comforted him. At least there, he was away from Tyler and the whispers of how he went into heat and missed the lacrosse game and had to be saved by his alpha boyfriend. There, he could be with Derek and Olive who wouldn’t bring his vulnerability up. They saw him like he was meant to be seen, strong, opposed to how Tyler viewed him. 

Derek didn’t ask him what he wanted to do when he got there. He just handed him gloves and let him go at it. It was anger and guilt and embarrassment that drove him to punch harder and kick until his thighs ached and his lungs burned. It was that and the fact that he didn’t want to be the person Tyler made him out to be. He wasn’t scared of his own biology. It was never something to fear. Of course, he had been ashamed of it once, because of people like Tyler. But that wasn’t how he saw it anymore. 

By the time Stiles had stopped slamming his fist into the padded material, Derek was there to offer him a water bottle and a bench to rest on. He gladly accepted both, having forced all of his energy out through his fists. His eyes were closed when Derek greeted someone who had walked into the gym. He almost didn’t open his eyes until he heard a familiar voice and another unfamiliar voice. 

Nathan stood in front of them, holding the hand of someone else. Stiles lifted his head to get the full view of this unknown person and was struck with a sense a familiarity. Nathan was smiling, looking happier and healthier for that matter. 

“Hey,” Stiles greeted softly. 

“Hi,” Nathan replied, waving his hand a little. There was a short amount of silence before he realized Stiles was staring at the man holding his hand. “Oh! Uh, yeah, this is Jupiter! You guys met at the uh, the heat clinic,” he explained with a deep blush. 

Stiles’s eyes went wide as he suddenly remembered meeting Jupiter and basically threatening his life if he didn’t take care of Nathan and now they were holding hands. 

“Uh, this is Derek,” Nathan introduced, motioning to Stiles’s mate who stood and held out his hand like some sort of gentleman. “He runs the place and taught me self defense.” Jupiter shook Derek’s hand firmly then stepped back. 

“Nice to meet you, Derek and nice to see you again, Stiles.” 

Stiles nodded, still shocked by the fact that they were holding hands. 

“J-Jupiter just wanted to check the place out,” Nathan explained with a soft smile. 

“Oh yeah?” Derek commented, sounding interested. “Let me show you around. Memberships start at-” 

Stiles tuned him out as he led Jupiter away to explore the gym. Nathan came over to sit next to him on the bench. He smelled happy and slightly embarrassed. They sat quietly for a few moments before Stiles gathered the energy to turn to him. 

“So, you and Jupiter, eh?” 

Nathan groaned, flushing pink again. “Yeah, I guess so.” 

“When did that start?” 

“After my heat,” he confessed. “Um, I kind of found out that he was my mate.” 

Stiles nearly choked on air. “What? Holy shit!” 

“Yeah, I know,” Nathan grinned even wider. “I didn’t think it was ever going to happen. I didn’t think it was going to work out because you know, I have some issues with alphas and all that jazz but Jupiter is different. He’s gentle and patient with me. After my heat, he gave me all the time I needed to come back to him. He didn’t force anything on me despite us being mates.” 

“Nate, that’s really awesome.”

The omega bit his lip shyly. “We’re trying it out, seeing how it goes, you know? We didn’t just want to just jump into the whole being mates thing. I’m too young for that and Jupiter thought we should wait too.” 

“So you guys, uh, didn’t mate yet?” 

Nathan turned the shade of an apple. “No! Nope, nope, nope. He’s been there through my heats but we haven’t done that yet.” 

Stiles chuckled at his reaction. “Good, you’re too young for that anyway.” 

“Says the boy who is mated already,” he teased.

“I’m a grown adult, thank you very much,” Stiles retorted with a playful grin. “I’m happy for you, Nate. I hope it works out for you two.” 

“Yeah, me too,” he agreed, eyes following Jupiter where he stood with Derek at one of the weight machines. 

“Does he know?” Stiles questioned a few moments later. “About what happened to you?” 

“Not in detail,” he replied quietly. “I think he knows something’s up but he’s never asked and I’ve never offered. I try not to think about it too much. He knows the basics like how I don’t like the alpha voice or being held down.” 

“Are you planning on telling him?” 

“I don’t know, maybe when the time is right. I don’t want to scare him away.” 

Stiles watched Jupiter talk to Derek like they were old friends. He couldn’t imagine him being scared away by something like that. Derek had welcomed him with open arms, cautious but open all the same. Jupiter would do the same for his mate. His wolf would be drawn to Nathan just like Stiles was drawn to Derek. He’ll be angry at first, not at Nathan but at the men who hurt him but then he’ll figure out a healthy way to deal with that anger and support Nathan. 

“You’re not going to scare him away,” Stiles responded as they both watched their mates, heading back there way. “Trust me, I would know.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you want a full multi-chapter fic of Jupiter and Nate or a really long one-shot of sorts that I'll add whenever I finish this fic? Also is there anything you'd like to see in the fic if I do one?
> 
> Also, I've been thinking about another idea for a Sterek fic that I'll try to post soon. It's going to involve bodyguard!Derek and an A/B/O plot line because I'm obsessed!


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this was so damn late. I'm busy trying not to fail a class right now lol.

Stiles was impatient. Anyone who knew him well enough knew that to be true. Most of the time, he could deal with waiting, not well but he dealt with it. This, however, this waiting for Tyler to be arrested, the waiting for the test results to come back on the pills, was too much. He didn’t want to wait any longer. Seeing Tyler at school was too much. The alpha thought he got away with it and it only made him more smug. He thought he had beat Stiles down, humiliated him and won. It was hard enough to not steal some of his dad’s handcuffs and lock them around Tyler’s wrists himself.

 _Be patient,_ his dad told him in a soft voice.

 _He’ll get what he deserves,_ Derek would say with a deep growl.

Derek was probably having an equally hard time with the whole thing too. It was only three days but after Monday, after Stiles to the gym needing to punch the crap out of something, Derek wanted that asshole in a jail cell. Stiles could tell he hated seeing him in such a way, so pissed off and desperate for justice. He was surprised Derek hadn’t gone and offed him himself already. He was sure his alpha had at least given it some thought.

So they waited, as patiently as they could.

 

* * *

 

By the time Wednesday rolled around, Stiles could hardly contain himself. He was basically fidgeting his seat at school all day, thinking about how his dad was supposed to be getting the results back that afternoon. Derek was picking him once he got home and they were going straight to the police station. His dad would have the result by then and at least if they proved to be invalid, he’d have the comfort of the two of them.

He practically sped home where Derek waited for him, jumped out of the car, jumped into Derek’s car and told him to hurry up. Derek chuckled briefly before shifting the car into drive and listening to his mate. They were both anxious. Stiles thought it was all going to go wrong somehow. Derek promised him it wasn’t going to and that he’d kill Tyler himself if it came how to it. Oddly, Stiles didn’t feel comforted by that statement.

They entered his dad’s office and Stiles couldn’t even sit.

“So?” he asked uncertainly. “Please tell me you can arrest that asshole? I don’t think I can hear it if you say it’s not enough evidence or some bullshit like that.”

“The pills came back and they’re the same pills found in birth control packets, sugar pills essentially,” Stiles nodded eagerly, “so I think that you might want to go grab my handcuffs and keys so we can go arrest this kid.”

A rush of relief flooded Stiles’s body. “You mean it? It’s enough? You can arrest him?”

His dad nodded. “With the test results, your testimony and your witnesses, we have enough to take him to court. I can’t vouch for what will happen in court but we’re going to keep trying until he pays for what he did to you, understood? I don’t care how expensive a lawyer is, we’re getting the best damn one.”

Stiles felt like crying, happy tears of course. He was just so damn relieved to hear those words. He had dealt with Tyler’s bullshit for far too long and this meant it was finally coming to an end. This should have happened months ago when he woke up in that hospital bed but he had been fearful back then, and stubborn and prideful. He thought turning Tyler in meant he was weak but it was the exact opposite. Turning him in made him feel stronger than ever because it was his decision, it was something nobody else could have decided but him.

The tears had begun to fall before Stiles even recognized them as such. It was probably the fact that Derek’s arms wrapped around his body and pulled him to his chest, that made him realize he was sobbing. Relief. It was pure relief and he’d probably cry again whenever he saw Tyler in handcuffs because he’d never be able to hurt him again. His reign of terror was over and he had failed.

Once the tears ceased, Stiles looked at his dad as a thought went through his mind. “Can I come with you? To arrest him?”

His dad’s face was sympathetic and Stiles knew the answer without being told. “If you want him arrested right now, then I can just go, I’ll bring my deputies and we’ll bring him back but if you’re willing to wait just a few more hours, then I can give you something much more satisfying.”

Stiles quirked up in interest. “What?”

“I think this asshole deserve a public arrest, don’t you? He love the attention so why not give it to him.”

A small grin grew on Stiles’s face as he began to understand.

“At the festival?”

“If that’s something you’d like,” his dad responded and Stiles gripped Derek’s hand, hard with excitement. “There’s nothing more I’d like right now then to see him in a jail cell but it’s up to you how he gets there.”

Stiles opened his mouth then closed it, thinking. Part of him wanted Tyler arrested that very second so he could go enjoy the festival with Derek in peace but the other part, the larger part, wanted to see Tyler’s arrest, wanted everyone at their school to experience it. They all knew what Tyler did to him, despite his wish for nobody to hear about it. He wanted people to see that he wasn’t some cowardly omega who was going to shrink back and hide whenever someone messed with him. This was what happened when you hurt someone, this was the consequence that came along with stupidity.

“I want to see it,” he said confidently after a few passing moments. “I think I deserve to see him locked up in handcuffs, right?”

“Of course you do,” Derek growled, a bit angry at the fact like Tyler hadn’t been locked up the second they returned with proof. He had told Stiles that much.

Stiles’s dad nodded. “I’ll get some of my deputies and we’ll make the arrest tonight.”

“Thank you, Dad,” Stiles murmured. “Thank you.”

His dad shooed him with his hand. “No need for that, kid. If it wasn’t illegal, I’d kill him myself.”

“If I didn’t get to him first,” Derek replied with a bitter grin on his face.

They chuckled for a second before going serious again. “Derek, I want you with him the entire night, got it? I want someone to be with him and I want someone to keep an eye on Tyler. Who knows if people have been talking or have seen you coming in here. If Tyler knows a single thing is up, I don’t want him anywhere near Stiles. We’ll give him some time to celebrate, give him a taste of victory and then we’ll rip it right out from under him.”

Stiles arched an eyebrow. “Damn, Dad. I didn’t know you were so vengeful.”

“Nobody touches my kid and gets away with it. This anger has been a long time in the making, trust me. I respected your wishes before but I want him out of your life and out of my town.”

Stiles had never agreed more with his dad in his entire life.

 

* * *

 

Acting like nothing was going to happen was the hardest thing Stiles had to do all day. He was buzzing with anticipation, constantly checking the parking lot in hopes of seeing multiple cops cars, sirens blaring, zoom into the parking lot and throw Tyler into the back like he was nothing.

“Would you try to have fun?” Derek murmured into his ear, pulling him to his chest. “It’s the end of your senior year, you’re graduating in less than two weeks and after tonight, Tyler’s going to be out of your life.”

Stiles watched the festival going on around him. Scott, Isaac and Malia were scouring the food truck to their right. They had agreed to meet at the ferris wheel in a few minutes so they could all ride it together before the ceremony that celebrated all of the players. Stiles wasn’t entirely sure if he wanted to go up with everyone, especially since he didn’t feel like he helped them win in any way. Derek had a different opinion about that.

“I’ll still have to see him in court,” Stiles muttered. “I don’t get to escape him.”

“The trial will be fast,” Derek promised like he knew. “He’ll get a few months in prison, learn his lesson and come nowhere near you again.”

Stiles nodded despite not entirely believing his mate.

“Come on, let’s go ride something before the ceremony. We’ll meet Scott and the others after we’re done.”

He didn’t want to say no because even though most of his mind was on Tyler, he wanted to have fun. Graduation was creeping up and soon he’d be off to college, living his life and all that jazz. Everything that happened in high school would quickly become a distant memory and everyone would move on. That was the hope at least.

They rode a ride, got some food, walked around and simply enjoyed each other’s company. Soon, it was time for the ceremony, where the team would be awarded their medals, hold their trophy high in the air and be celebrated for winning. Stiles found the entire thing a little ridiculous but winning was a big deal in Beacon Hills.

Unfortunately, Stiles had to leave Derek’s side to be ushered behind the stand so they could enter all grand-like. Derek wasn’t too keen on the idea but Stiles promised he’d be fine. They were going behind the stage and they’d be out in a few minutes. Ten minutes apart wasn’t going to kill them, right?

“But your dad?”

“And you’ll be watching me from the stage,” Stiles answered quickly. “Scott and Isaac will be up there with me and you can go all alpha if anyone so much as gives me a strange look, alright? Unfortunately, you can’t be my 24/7 bodyguard. I love you but space is a good thing, eh?”

Derek rolled his eyes. “Fine, just, you know, hurry up.”

“I can only go as fast as they go,” Stiles replied with a wink. He gave Derek a quick peck on the lips and a giant grin. “Cheer for me, will ya?” He was trying his best to be positive, not let Derek know how anxious he was but Derek already knew, damn mating bond.

“Always do, baby.”

Stiles grinned as he rushed behind the stage, already a little late since they had made an all call a few minutes prior. Coach was lining everyone up in the order their names were being called onto the stage. Stiles waited in the crowd of boys as each name was called out. Isaac was put near the front, having scored the winning shot. Scott was more toward the middle, shooting him a huge grin before turning around. One by one everyone was lined up until there was just Stiles left.

“Stilinski,” Coach called, eying him. He approached and waited to be told where to go. Except he wasn’t told where to go, instead Coach leaned in and whispered, “I heard what happened and I’m sorry.”

Stiles had never seen the Coach be sympathetic in the least bit but this was genuine. “Thanks,” he muttered. “I appreciate it.”

“The team, uh, has a surprise for you once you get up there,” he replied with a sly grin. “So get your ass to the back of the line so we can get on with this.” Stiles couldn’t help but smile and wonder what kind of surprise awaited him. He bounced into the back of the line and heard the announcer begin to call out names.

By the time they reached his name, he was buzzing with excitement, genuine excitement. His team liked him, minus a few assholes who were friends with Tyler. Whatever they had planned, he knew he was going to like it.

“Stiles Stilinski,” the announcer called and Stiles came out onto the stage. The crowd clapped and Stiles even heard some hoots for him, though he was sure they were from Derek. He wondered if his dad was out there in the crowd watching and waiting to arrest Tyler. Now would have been the perfect time.

“Now, Mr. Stilinski,” his attention was cut back to the announcer, “your team has collectively decided that they would have never made it to States without your help and were deeply saddened that you couldn't make it to the final game. To show their respect and gratitude, you have been selected as this year's lacrosse MVP, congrats!”

Stiles pretty much gaped at the announcer like a dead fish for a split second before he processed the words. “Oh shit, really?”

The crowd laughed and Stiles went pink in the cheeks.

“Really, Mr. Stilinski,” the announcer said with a chuckle. Someone came out to hand him a small trophy. He took it with shaky hands and a smile. “Do you want to say a few words?” He held the microphone out to Stiles who looked at it skeptically. He wasn’t planning on saying anything but then he thought better of it and decided now was the time to speak. His voice had been taken away far too many time and now, it was being handed to him.

He grabbed the microphone and centered himself a little more. His eyes found Derek’s in the crowd and felt relief wash through him.

“Uh, hi,” he started, voice a little shaky. Some people chuckled and he heard someone whisper the word loser under their breath behind him. That, of course, set him off and there was no turning back now. “I didn’t really think anything was going to happen tonight but people keep surprising me. I truly didn’t think I’d get an award like this one. I started my freshman year off as a skinny little omega who let people stomp all over me. I used to look down upon myself like many people convinced me to do. I didn’t think I’d make it on the lacrosse team or really amount to anything. But then, I grew up, got a little stronger, a little braver and I decided to start doing things for myself. This year has been the best and worst year of high school so far.”

He felt the gaze of everyone’s eyes on him in the crowd and all those behind him. He needed to continue.

“Toward the middle of this school year, I woke up in a hospital bed with multiple cuts and bruises and three broken ribs, one of which could have pierced my lung and killed me. Most people never heard this story because I was scared to tell it. I thought it made me weak to speak up and defend myself so I kept quiet. I let the people who had hurt me think they could do it again. But then I decided to help myself, stop feeling bad for myself and do something. I joined a self defense class and surprisingly, there were more omegas like me, ones who had become victims because we live in a society that still can’t fully accept omegas. That group made me strong, my mate made me strong but above all, I made myself strong. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop it from happening again. Now, I’m sure you’ve all heard this one. Somebody messed with my suppressants just before States, something that violated my body and my mind. They sent me into a heat in an unknown territory, thinking that this was a perfect way to show the world how weak I was as an omega. They forced me into something I didn’t desire and they put my life at risk for a second time. Here’s the thing, I’m not weak, I’m not fragile or submissive, I’m not just an omega. My presentation doesn’t define me and I wasn’t going to let this event define me either.”

Stiles could see the police cars off in the distance, cruising up to the parking lot. His heart skipped in anticipation. Derek nodded him on to tell him to continue.

“So what I’m trying to say is, this award means a whole lot more to me than it would mean to the average person. It means that people see me as more than an omega, they see me as more than an object. So thank you to my team, my friends, my mate and my family for seeing me as more than something to be dominated. The world is changing, slowly but I can see it happening and just because one or two assholes, sorry, think it’s comical doesn’t mean everyone else does. So yeah, thanks.”

The crowd was quiet, as if they were taking it all in. Stiles couldn’t blame them. It was a lot for people to take it, especially since they hadn’t been aware of it. He handed the microphone back to the announcer who gave him a pat on the back and a good for you, kid. Then the crowd began to clap, as if the words finally sunk in and they understood.

Stiles smiled gleefully as he turned back toward his team. The smile quickly disappeared when his eyes landed on Tyler’s, red and vicious. He barely had any time to process what was happening before he was thrown back, landing on the grass across from the stage. Tyler was on top of him, snarling like a vicious monster. His hands were wrapped around Stiles’s throat, set on killing him this time. Stiles could feel the pressure growing and what was probably only a second felt like a minute.

He had been prepared for this position, Derek had prepared him. His mind just needed to kick into overdrive and react.

 _Take a deep breathe. Focus and relax._ Derek’s voice spoke to him in his mind, calming him.

Stiles closed his eyes, hearing the ring in his ear and the distance sound of shouting.

_Bend your leg at the knee for leverage, Stiles. There you go, good. Now bring your hands up to their bicep and grip. Good, Stiles. Now put everything you’ve got, all of your weight and force into it and thrust your hips up and to the side. Throw him off, Stiles. Throw him off and get to safety. Don’t focus on the lack of air. Keep yourself calm._

Stiles did exactly as he was told, giving it all he had and throwing Tyler off to the side. Air rushed back into his lungs all at once and burned as he coughed. He rolled to the side, stumbling to his feet with blurry vision. He could see people running over toward them, letting him know it hadn’t been more than a few seconds on the ground. His neck burned and ached from Tyler’s hand and all Stiles could see was red. Of course protocol said to run to safety, get away from the attacker but Stiles couldn’t stop himself. Before anyone could stop him, his foot collided with Tyler’s stomach who was still stunned on the ground. That kick knocked the air out of him and the second made him scream. Tyler couldn't even get onto his knees before Stiles was kicking him down again, feeling like a tornado destroying everything in it's path. Stiles wouldn’t have stopped if someone hadn’t dragged him away.

He was screaming, he thought, although he wasn’t sure who the sound was actually coming from. He was dragged back and pressed directly into his mate’s scent gland, dragging in gasps of air. The scent calmed his body, calmed the burning rage inside of him almost immediately. Derek was whispering into his ear, telling him that he needed to calm down, that it as over, he was okay. He could feel the alpha shaking against him, clearly trying to suppress his own anger.

“Tyler Masterson, you are under arrest for assault, manipulation of medicine and attempted murder on an omega,” Stiles heard his father’s booming voice and he wrangled around in Derek’s arms to see. His dad and a deputy had Tyler surrounded on the ground, forcing him to sit up in the grass. Handcuffs were locked around his wrists as he growled and shouted for them to let him go. The deputy read Tyler his rights and dragged him to his feet.

“You have no right!” he shouted angrily. “He's just an omega! He's nothing!”

Derek let go of him suddenly and Stiles stumbled back as his alpha left his side. He was stalking toward Tyler, fury practically radiating off of him all at once. Stiles knew what he was going to do before he did it but he still gasped a little whenever Derek's fist slammed into Tyler's jaw and cheek with such force that Tyler's head snapped to the side and he cried out again.

“What the fuck?” he screamed once he recovered. “He can't do that! That's assault!”

“I didn't see anything,” Stiles's dad answered nonchalantly. “Did anyone else see what happened to his cheek?”

The crowd remained quiet which definitely pissed Tyler off. He roared, stomping his foot on the ground like a two year old. Stiles found his feet again and walked back up to Tyler. His hands ached to punch him again but he resisted.

He looked Tyler right in the eye.

“I am not weak. I am not a thing. I am not an omega bitch. I am a person, a human being and I did not deserve any of the shit you did to me. I wish I could show you how strong I am but I wouldn't want to hurt you.”

Tyler sneered at him but didn't speak.

“You threw your future away, Tyler. I hope you know that. Everything you worked for is gone because you had so much hatred in your heart. Have fun in jail or prison or hell, wherever you go. And if you ever, I mean ever, think about coming back and hurting me or anyone I know again, I will end you.”

They stared at each other for a long moment before Stiles's Dad dragged Tyler back, leading him to the police cruiser. He shot Stiles a proud look before turning again. Stiles let out a sigh and turned back to Derek. His alpha immediately wrapped his arms around his body and held him close.

People around him came out, asking if he was okay, how they couldn't believe that had just happened. His friends were around him, touching him, comforting him and telling him how strong he was. Stiles listened but didn't move from Derek's arms, listening to his heart beat, feeling his lips as they brushed across his skin. Safety. Comfort. Peace.

It was over. All over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Was it satisfying enough? *fingers crossed*
> 
> One more chapter to go and then maybe an epilogue and a long Nate/Jupiter chapter. Equally excited and sad about that!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter guys before the epilogue;)

Stiles had never felt such relief in his life. Watching Tyler be dragged away by his dad, in handcuffs nonetheless, was glorious. He didn’t think about how he’d have to testify in the future and tell the jury what Tyler did to him. For now, he just enjoyed the fact that Tyler was getting what he deserved. Nobody would think to touch him now and that was all Stiles had ever wanted.

  
Derek brought him home after everyone had doted over him, making sure he was okay and telling him how brave he was. It got old really fast so he tugged on Derek’s hand, which he hadn’t let go since Tyler had left. Thankfully, the alpha got the message and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. He tugged him away from the crowd and toward the car. Stiles followed blindly.

  
By the time they returned home, Stiles couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. They were relief and happiness and everything in that realm. There was no sadness or fear in them and Derek could feel like so he hushed the boy and held him tight, allowing him to cry into his shoulder. It took him a while to stop but Derek waited.

  
They lied in bed long after the sun went down, after the tears had dried and Stiles’s dad had called to told them that Tyler was behind bars. Stiles faced Derek, watching his face in the dark. He was beautiful, reminding him of how he felt when they first met. Stiles had thought he knew what love was back then but he was a silly little boy. What he felt now was love, undoubtedly. Derek was his life, his mate, his alpha.

  
Derek nosed over the mating bite on Stiles’s neck and made the omega squirm against him. He whispered his apology and Stiles realized he hadn’t meant to do it. The idea of having him inside of him at the moment sounded really good. The last time they had had sex was when he was in heat and although he enjoyed it, it was more of a necessity than anything else.

  
“Feels good,” Stiles murmured quietly, nuzzling in closer. He was sleepy but wanted Derek, willingly this time, not because it was necessary.

  
“You’re tired,” Derek replied, obviously feeling and smelling Stiles’s horniness.

“You’ve been through a lot today. Let’s get some sleep.”

  
Stiles wanted to reject his idea but he was sleepy, way more than he wanted to be. After all, Tyler had tried to kill him today. “In the morning?”

  
Derek laughed. “Sure, baby. Still gotta let you bite me.”

  
Stiles perked up slightly. “Really?” They hadn’t exactly discussed it but Stiles had always liked the idea of marking his alpha as well. Equality and all that stuff but also because Stiles’s wolf was a bit possessive too and wanted Derek to be only theirs.

  
Derek grinned against Stiles’s skin. “You’ll see in the morning.”

  
Stiles groaned loudly. “Oh come on, dude! I can’t go to sleep now!”

  
Derek brought his lips down to Stiles's and explored his open mouth as Stiles couldn't resist his touch. He whimpered and held on to Derek's shoulders, trying out a control himself.

  
“I want to go to sleep next to you and for once, know everything is alright. That nobody is going to touch you or hurt you. I want to wake up and see your face calm and undisturbed.”

  
Stiles's heart thumped. “You will,” he whispered. “Every day, every morning. I plan to grow old with you, Derek Hale. If that's something you'd like.”

  
Derek took his back of Stiles's neck in his hand and pushed their foreheads together. “There's nothing I want more, Stiles. I wish I had never left you. I wish I had been here when you presented. I could have helped you. I might have been able to stop everything that happened to you.”

  
Stiles shook his head. “Nothing is coincidence, Der. You needed to leave and experience the rest of the world before coming home and I needed to experience my own troubles. That's the way life works. We would have been different people.”

  
Derek nodded. “I think I still would have fallen in love with you anyway.”

  
Stiles couldn't help but grin widely. “I like to think I would too.”

  
They remained quiet for a few passing moments, breathing each other in, touching each other’s skin slightly. There was nothing erotic about the touch or the things Derek whispered in his ear minutes later. Stiles didn’t need erotic as much as he would have enjoyed it. As long as Derek was next to him, holding him and never leaving him again, Stiles was satisfied.

  
“Go to sleep, baby.”

  
Stiles closed his eyes, although he whined in disappointment.

  
“In the morning, I promise. You’ll sink your teeth into my skin and mark me as yours. And then I’m never letting you go again.”

  
Stiles smiled blissfully as sleep took him and he no longer feared his future because his future was with Derek and that was all that mattered.

 

* * *

  
  
The next morning when Stiles woke up, he smelled pancakes and maple syrup. He rolled over on the bed and smiled sleepily. Derek wasn’t next to him, which was a slight disappointment but he could hear him shuffling around the kitchen. There was some clattering noises and Stiles rose his eyebrow in concern but didn't move from the sheets. It took Derek a few more minutes to return to the room but when he did, he carried a plate of pancakes with chocolate chips and whip cream on top.

  
“Morning beautiful,” he greeted, holding the plate up.

“Oh man, either you're really trying to impress me with your baking skills or you're really excited about the sex we're about to have.”

  
Derek rolled his eyes and climbed onto the the bed. Stiles nodded watched him as he dipped a finger into the whipped cream topping and bopped Stiles's nose with it.

  
“Hey!” Stiles protested as Derek kissed his little button nose and pulled back.  
“Sweet just like you.”

  
Stiles couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his mouth. “Oh God, you’re so cheesy!”

  
“I may be cheesy but I’m also letting you mark me.”

  
Stiles instantly felt arousal. “Yes,” he whimpered. “Yeah, uh huh, you are letting me do that.”

  
Derek cut off a piece of pancake first and moved the fork toward Stiles’s mouth. “Pancakes first, then sex.”

  
Stiles’s eyes narrowed. “My dad’s probably going to be home before we can even get close.”

  
“He came home last night, left early this morning.” Derek put a piece of pancake into Stiles’s mouth and then put another piece into his own. “We have plenty of time. Now eat your pancakes.”

  
Stiles passive aggressively took another bite of the pancake. “I want you to take your time.”

  
“Is that right?”

  
Stiles nodded. “We went too fast during my heat. I want to feel your knot expand in me, stretch me until I come.”

  
Derek’s eyes flashed red for a brief second and Stiles gave him a smug look. “Eat your pancakes, Stiles.”

  
Instead of eating his pancakes like regular person, Stiles decided to up the notch of sexiness. He scooped a bit of whipped cream onto his finger and popped it into his mouth, staring at Derek as he sucked gently. Derek, who was chewing another piece of pancake, nearly choked at the sight. He let out a low growl and shift his gaze to the pancake. Before he could cut another bite, Stiles took the plate and placed it on the nightstand.

  
“Stiles,” Derek said, sounding like he was trying to resist himself. Stiles couldn't take it any longer. He pushed Derek back and straddled his hips. “You're supposed to eat the pancakes first.”

  
“I don't want to,” Stiles whined. “Please, Der.”

  
Derek eyed him. “For someone who wants me to take them slow and feel my knot expand inside them, you're going a little fast.”

  
“I don't care,” Stiles answered, leaning down to kiss Derek's neck, right where he wanted to bite him. “I don't care, I want to feel you.”

  
“Okay, baby. We'll get there. Let me take you slow like you want. No rush. Let me make you so wet that you're dripping like you're in heat. And then I'll take you, I push inside of you and fuck you until you scream my name while you're coming. Then you'll bite me.”

  
Stiles nodded frantically, feeling so incredibly horny now. “Yeah, yes, please. Please, touch-”

  
“Hush,” Derek instructed. “I want to hear every single noise you make.”

  
Stiles whimpered, feeling slick leak out of his hole. Derek quickly switched their positions so that Stiles was pinned underneath his body. He pressed both of their hardening cocks together and moaned.

  
“What do you want me to do to you?” Derek whispered hotly.

  
“Anything,” Stiles gasped when Derek thrusted up against him. “Anything, Derek. I don't care!”

  
Derek shook his head. “No, this is for you. Tell me what you want me to do.”

  
“Just touch me,” he answered.

  
“I need more than that, baby.”

  
Stiles nearly growled, seriously needing Derek's touch. “Your mouth.”

  
“Where?”

  
Stiles blushed. Being dirty was so much easier during his heat. Derek had just given him what he needed. Now, he was making him say what he wanted out loud. He wanted everything but there was one thing he wanted most.

  
“On my-” Stiles gulped and flushed a deep shade of red.

  
Derek kissed him, flicking his tongue against Stiles's. “Say it, baby.”

  
He closed his eyes so he could say it without Derek's dark eyes on him. “On my hole.”

  
Derek growled possessively and shifted Stiles so that he was on his hands and knees, ass up in the air. Stiles felt exposed despite having sweats on. He felt Derek's hot breath through the material as the alpha pushed the sweats away from his body and down this thighs. The smell of slick immediately spread through the air and Stiles whimpered.

  
“We'll go slow,” he told Stiles before leaning in and licking from his balls to his hole. Stiles bucked and moaned, despising himself for wanting to go slow. He wasn't going to be able to survive if they went this slow. He tried pushing back but Derek stopped him, caressing his thighs when he desperately tried to spread his legs further.

  
“Slow,” he repeated against Stiles's skin, causing him to shutter.

  
Stiles forced himself to relax and close his eyes, enjoy the feeling of having Derek's tongue lick at him. He wasn't sure he'd be able to come like this alone but as soon as Derek pushed a finger inside, he knew all bets were off.

  
“You okay?” Derek asked in a concerned voice whenever Stile tensed. It wasn't from pain. Derek's tongue had made sure he was open enough for one finger at least. It was rather the fact that Stiles wanted something bigger inside him and clenching around the single finger was his way of trying to make it so.

  
“More please,” he whispered.

  
Derek listened and pressed two fingers in, then three. Stiles's breath was coming out in fast pants as Derek pressed his fingers in repeatedly. It wasn't until he was near hyperventilating that Derek pulled again. He could hear the cap of the lube bottle snap open as well as Derek removing his clothes. He waited in anticipation.

  
“Take your clothes off,” Derek instructed softly. “I want every inch of your skin.”

  
Stiles happily complied, peeling the rest of his clothes off as fast as he could. Derek watched with lustful eyes. One he was done, he rolled back to his hands and knees, only for Derek to stop him.

  
“I want to see your face.”

  
Stiles nodded and flipped back onto his back, spreading his legs to accommodate for Derek. The alpha positioned himself, pointing his leaking cock right at Stiles's hole and pushed in, all while keeping eye contact. It felt more intimate than all the days of his heat. The heat popped in with little resistance and Stiles willed himself to relax so the rest could go in as well.

  
“As soon as I knot, I want to mark me, okay?”

  
“Okay,” Stiles moaned, feeling Derek's length slip inside of him all the way.  
Derek began to pump his hips moments later, setting such a slow speed that Stiles nearly snarled at him but this was what he had asked for. He buried his face into the nook of Derek’s neck and sucked in lungfuls of his scent, memorizing everything about it. On one particular thrust, Stiles let out a yelp, clenching tighter around the cock inside of him. Derek’s hips stuttered and pressed in harder. Stiles clawed and nipped at every surface of Derek’s skin that he could reach.

  
“Harder,” Stiles groaned and started to meet Derek’s thrusts as best as he could.  
He could tell Derek was taking his time, slowly pumping his length in with hard strokes each time. At this rate, Stiles felt like he was going to come just from the shear strength of it all. He gripped his cock and began to stroke, needing some release. Derek knocked his hand out of the way and Stiles almost thought he wasn't going to let him come yet but instead, he held his hand up to Stiles's mouth.

  
“Lick,” he instructed and Stiles didn't hesitate. He licked the man’s hand like his life depended on it. Derek waited until his hand was wet before turning his attention back to Stiles's cock. He let out a needy whimper, the combination of Derek's cock inside of him and his hand wrapped around his aching cock was too much all at once.

  
“Der-” he gasped, clutching at Derek's neck and the sheets. “Derek, I gotta-”

  
“Hold on,” Derek choked out, thrusting frantically as his knot because to expand and attempt to lock inside Stiles. Stiles tried desperately to hold off, wanting to give Derek the pleasurable combination of a mating bite and his clenching hole.

“Hold on, Stiles. Please!”

  
Stiles focused on holding off, despite Derek's pumping hand which hadn't eased yet. His canines dropped down from his gums, scrapping at Derek's tender skin.

  
“Almost-” Derek roared, his knot locking inside at the same time he swiped the slit of Stiles's cock and made him come. He clenched around the knot inside him, almost forgetting to mark Derek. Before he could become too consumed by the feeling, he sank his teeth into his mate’s skin and bit. Derek howled, coincidentally biting Stiles's already existing mark.

They came in unison, Stiles for the second time and Derek for the first, unable to stop themselves. Blood spread in Stiles's mouth, tasting of such sweetness that he kept his teeth lodged in Derek's neck.

  
Derek kept thrusting in short pumps, consumed by all the feelings going through his body. Stiles felt it too, closing his eyes and riding out each emotion and wave of pleasure that rolled through him.

His teeth eventually detached from Derek's neck and he threw his head back against the pillow with a soundless gasp.  
It took them minutes longer to cool down than it normally did. Stiles figured it was from the amount of passion that had went into it, or the relief. Whatever it was, he was thankful for it. He felt so close to his mate like the little strings inside them had strengthened.

  
“Stiles,” Derek whispered, sweat dripping down his body.

  
Stiles grinned and licked tenderly at Derek's wound. “Thank you.”

  
Derek huffed, “Uh, no, thank you!”

  
They both laughed which caused Derek's knot to move inside of Stiles. Stiles squeaked which made them laugh even more. It was pure happiness in the room and Stiles just held Derek tight.

 

* * *

  
  
Stiles graduated the next week. It was strange in a way, after everything that happened those years. Walking across the stage was a beautiful moment. He felt free even if he wasn't necessarily getting it of Beacon Hills, he was getting away from Tyler.

  
Tyler's trial was in the weeks following. Stiles had to testify against him, along with other people, his friends and teammates. With the overwhelming testimonies and the evidence, Tyler never stood a chance. It took a few months as most trials always did but nothing would beat the moment when the judge announced the jury's decision.

  
Guilty.

  
He was given a sentence of ten years in prison with no chance of probation. Apparently the court took his offenses seriously. Omega rights were strengthening more and more. He watched them take Tyler away and then he was gone.

  
Sometimes, he still felt like Tyler was going to come back and find him but Derek always reassured him that he wasn't even in Beacon Hills anymore and that they'd be long gone before he got out.

  
Life was calm.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys... this is the epilogue. I can't believe it. Nearly 400 pages later, this fic has come to an end. This final chapter took me so long to write because I wanted to give this story a good conclusion. I hope I succeeded!:) 
> 
> PS. This epilogue spans 10 years from when the last chapter ended. Also there's mpreg.

After community college, Stiles moved in with Derek into the loft, which he had pretty much been living at anyway. He packed up all of his stuff and moved it into Derek’s place, finally being able to call it his own. His dad was equally delighted and saddened by his departure, which made Stiles feel guilty about leaving but Melissa and the entire police staff of Beacon Hills. They were only a few miles away from each other. It wasn’t the end of the world.

It took Derek another year after Stiles's college graduation to propose. Stiles had been hinting at it for months, shamelessly if he was being honest. He was particularly surprised Derek hadn’t just up and proposed to get him to shut up. But that wasn’t how his alpha operated. He was making him wait, making him be patient even though Stiles was the least patient person in the world.

By their third year together, Stiles found himself very, very drunk on his 21st birthday. Derek, already being 26, laughed at him for the entirety of the night as he made a fool out of himself in front of his friends. It wasn’t until they got home, with Stiles puking his guts out in the toilet, that the words he had been holding in came rushing out. He was basically sobbing as he gagged into the bowl every few seconds. Derek rubbed his back and whispered soothing words into his ear. Stiles regretted every shot of vodka he took back at the bar.

“Der,” he whined pathetically, heavily leaning against the shower next to the toilet. “Derek, why won’t you marry me?”

Derek made a choking noise that Stiles ignored in his drunken state.

“What do you mean?”

“How come you won’t marry me?” Stiles pouted. “I’m good enough, aren’t I?”

Derek chuckled slightly, brushing his thumb over Stiles’s exposed mark. “I wouldn’t have given you that if I didn’t think you were good enough, Stiles. You’re more than good enough for me. It’s me that might not be good enough.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Hush, alpha. You're better than enough.”

Derek pressed a kiss to Stiles’s sweaty forehead. “All in due time, my love.”

Stiles groaned, although neither of them were sure if it was out of annoyance or because he felt like utter shit. Derek helped him to his feet, assisting him as he washed his mouth out before ushering him toward the bed. Stiles collapsed on top of the cool sheets, sighing happily. Derek didn’t join him like he expected and his drunken heart let out a little panic. He scrambled onto his side, completely ungracefully. As he nearly fell off the side of the bed, Derek caught him, rolling him onto back again. The smell of his mate surrounded him like a blanket.

“Woah, I'm right here, baby.”

Stiles let out a giggle, completely changing his mood in an instant. Derek's face was close to his, draping his body over Stiles's. Stiles leaned up to kiss him, wanting to feel his lips and taste him. Derek let it happen for a minute before pulling back.

“I'm going to go get you some water, okay? You need to stay hydrated.”

Stiles made an unhappy whining noise but let Derek go to get him water. His mouth was dry from all of the beer he had at the bars. Water seemed like a wonderful idea.

Derek returned quickly, holding a cold glass of water. He helped Stiles sit up against the headboard and pillows and tipped the glass back against Stiles's lips. Parched, Stiles drank down half the glass of water quickly until Derek moved it away from his lips.

“Mmm thanks,” he whispered.

Derek set the glass down on the nightstand and crawled into bed with Stiles. They shimmied under the blankets, shrugging their shirts off quickly. They pressed against each other, skin to skin. Stiles closed his eyes and breathed in. He always loved how Derek smelled.

“I'm going to marry you one day, Der.”

Derek kissed his jawline. “Oh yeah?”

“Mhmm, I'm gonna buy you a ring and propose to you if you don't do it soon. I'm gonna defy all omega/alpha standards and propose to you.”

Derek chuckled. “Sounds good to me.”

Stiles huffed and snuggled closer. “I'm gonna, I swear.” He was out like a light before he could hear Derek's response.

 

* * *

 

Derek planned some fancy date for the two of them a few weeks later. Stiles would have hardly remembered their conversation if Derek hadn't brought it up the morning after. Of course his drunk ass would say something like that. It wasn't like he didn't want to propose to Derek but he also really wanted Derek to propose to him too. That was how he came up with the idea of a mutual proposal. He knew Derek was planning on doing it soon so Stiles went and bought a ring with the cash he had saved up. He doubted Derek actually believed he was going to do it.  

They sat at dinner, outside on a patio at a fancy restaurant that Derek had placed a reservation at a few days prior. It was a really beautiful place and the waitress was treating them like they were the richest customers around. Apparently they were for the night since Derek bought one of the most expensive wines on the list.

“Are we doing a dine and dash sort of thing or something?” Stiles joked, wondering how they were affording such a place. A passing waitress shot them a dirty look and Stiles threw his hands up in the air. “Kidding, kidding!”

Derek snorted and set his wine down before he spilled it. “No, Stiles. Surprisingly, we can afford this.”

Stiles shrugged his shoulders and took a sip of his wine. The ring in his pocket felt like it was going to burn straight through and reveal itself to Derek. He knew Derek wasn't expecting it like Stiles was expecting his which made it all the more fun. But he was also nervous as hell. An omega proposing to an alpha, hardly unheard of in today’s day and age, however, Stiles had never done it before.

Their meals came, feeling more expensive than the wine. Stiles didn’t comment this time, too enthralled by the taste of his filet mignon and baked potato. He devoured most of it within a few minutes and then immediately regretted it because his nervous stomach began to act up again. It was nothing to be that nervous about but Stiles had wanted Derek to propose for months and tonight, it was happening. They were going to propose to each other and then there’d be a wedding and pups and this whole life that he had been afraid would never happen.

By dessert, Stiles was about ready to pop. Secrets were never easy for him to keep, especially around Derek who could literally feel every single emotion that went through him. He had to pretend nothing was wrong and make sure he kept his emotions in check. If Derek didn’t do it soon, he was going to have to ruin his surprise and do it himself.

It wasn’t until Derek was pointing something out on the horizon that Stiles realized it was happening. His heart skipped as he slowly turned back in his chair and found Derek on one knee next to his chair, holding a box open with a beautiful ring inside. His eyes got wide and a huge grin spread across his face.

“Stiles,” Derek started and Stiles couldn’t stop smiling, “I never wanted anything more than I want you. Everyday, for the rest of my life, I want you. I know that marriage is just a certificate and that our bond is what matters the most but there’s nothing I want more than to kiss you in front of all of our friends and family to show them what we mean to each other.”

Stiles nearly forgot about the ring in his pocket as he listened to his mate as people from other tables watched them as well. He felt his cheeks heat up from all the attention.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Stiles. Through thick and thin, I promise I’ll be there for you. This is just the beginning and I know we're going to have the life you've always dreamt of. So, will you marry me, Stiles Stilinski?”

A heart beat or two passed before Stiles said anything. He wanted to blurt out his answer because how could it ever be anything but yes, yet he wanted to propose to Derek himself. As quickly as he could, he dragged the ring out of his pocket before Derek could begin to second guess himself and held it out.

“I’m sorry it’s nothing fancy,” he rushed out, “but it’s yours if you want it. ‘Cause you know I’m not about all of those omega/alpha standards and I did tell you I was going to propose to you that night I got super drunk. So, Derek, think you wanna marry me too?”

They both stared at each other like grinning idiots and before either of them could properly answer, they were caught in a passionate kiss, which was answer enough for both of them. But still, Stiles pulled away and answered, whispering yes and yes, over and over again against Derek’s lips.

“I’ll marry you, Der. Of course!”

“Yes, Stiles, yes, I’ll marry you.”

Their audience started to applaud them and a few shouted in happiness. Stiles was too focused on Derek’s face, imagining their future together, their wedding to feel even a tiny bit shy. After that, he truly couldn’t stop smiling. It was the best moment in his life.

 

* * *

 

The real best moment of his life thus far was his actual wedding day. It was everything he wanted and so much more. It was non traditional, simple and perfect. They got married in the middle of everyone they loved. They circled around them, surrounding them with love and cheers. Stiles and Derek stood in the middle with a priest, saying their vows, placing their rings on each other’s fingers.

Finally, the priest said the words Stiles had been waiting for all evening. He made sure it wasn’t going to be the traditional “now you may kiss the omega and seal your bond forever” instead it was “now you may kiss each other and solidify your vows for as long as you both shall live..”

Neither Derek or Stiles hesitated as soon as the words were out of his mouth. They stepped forward into each other’s space and found the other’s lips. Cheers exploded around them and Stiles felt his body tingle with happiness. This was everything, Derek was everything.

Getting away from their after party was the hardest thing in the world. Stiles just wanted to go back to their hotel room, devour a pizza and feel Derek inside of him. There were too many people to entertain and while he appreciated all of them coming to celebrate with them, his feet also hurt like a mother and his stomach was growling like a monster. Derek was keeping a good face on for the both of them, greeting everyone as they came up to them, kissing him every time someone requested it.

His dad was the hardest to leave after saying goodbye to most of the party. Of course, he teared up, which made Stiles tear up as well, because his one son was all grown up and married and it was a lot for him. It wasn’t like anything was going to change; they had been practically married for years. He’d still visit and invite him over for dinner, all that stuff. He let the sheriff hug him for far longer than normal and then told him they’d see him in the morning for breakfast.

Derek led him back to the hotel room hours after their ceremony, carrying him to the bed, mainly because Stiles was complaining about his feet. He collapsed onto the bed and watched Derek remove his suit and then helped him with his.

“Room service?” Stiles suggested, already reaching for the menu next to their bed.

“I mean, it is paid for already,” Derek agreed with a mischievous smile.

They ordered a pizza, some dessert and a much cheaper bottle of wine. Derek let Stiles pick a movie to watch as they devoured their food together. It was nice to be on a comfy bed in a relatively quiet room. The entire evening had been loud and full of talking as any wedding usually was but it was still really nice.

They fell asleep halfway through the movie and neither of them even minded that they didn’t have sex like a normal couple on their wedding night.

 

* * *

 

Stiles’s best moment of life was soon replaced by something much better. It was in the form of a pink little plus sign found on a stick he had just peed on. He had gone off of suppressants a few months after their wedding, after a long talk with Derek and they had been trying every heat since. They didn’t think it would happen so fast, especially after having been on them for so long but Stiles’s reproductive system had other ideas.

He was pregnant. A little pup inside of him.

Derek was at work, working a late night, whenever he found out and Stiles had to resist the urge to call him immediately. That kind of news wasn’t something to be shared over the phone. He wanted to surprise Derek and make it cute.

They had just moved into a bigger house near the city, ready to start their family. He remembered how Derek had carried him over the threshold and how they had taken weeks to unpack but finally they had made it a house of their own. Their first night was strange since the house was so empty, however, they adjusted. Stiles remembered Derek worshipping his body on their bed a few night in, making him feel all sorts of new things. He remembered the first heat they shared in their new room, making it smell like the two of them, making it smell like home. It must have been his last heat, one in which he had been particularly needy and responsive during, that resulted in his pregnancy.

The wild thing about a male omega pregnancy was that it was pretty different from a female omega’s. They had all the same internal parts and the ability to conceive but they were kinda lacking in the birthing department. Stiles remembered feeling squirmish about it whenever they learned the difference in health class. Birth for either gender never seemed like a pleasant thing but at least for male omegas, they didn’t have to push the child out of any place. Instead, male omegas gave “birth” through a c-section. While it was completely possible to give birth the natural way, it was incredibly painful and dangerous for male omegas since it wasn't necessarily natural for their bodies as it was for females. That was why most doctors suggested c-sections. Some crazies had done it before but Stiles wasn't going to be one of them. He was pretty happy he wasn’t going to have to push a seven pound baby out of his body. It was to be extracted like the little alien it was. An adorable, cute alien, that was.

Stiles found himself reading up on omega c-sections to inform himself on the process even though he still had a solid nine months before it would happen. He just wanted to be prepared for everything. Nothing about carrying a pup was simple, for either gender. He was going to have morning sickness and mood swings and strange cravings. But it was all part of the process and Stiles excitedly welcomed it.

Derek came home that evening to Stiles making dinner. It wasn't a rare occasion but Stiles did tend to like getting take out whenever Derek worked late nights. He approached him, laying a soft kiss on his cheek and sniffed the air. Stiles stiffened, hoping he couldn't smell the pup or something like that already.

“What is that delicious smell?” he inquired, dipping a finger into the alfredo sauce Stiles was currently simmering on the stove. Stiles swatted his hand away with a playful grin.

“I'm making chicken alfredo,” he responded, stirring the sauce again. “It's gonna be done in a few minutes. Now, go change.”

Derek smirked and kissed his neck. “What? You don't want some sweaty alpha all over you?”

As good as Derek smelled, sweaty or not, Stiles needed to get the surprise ready. He pushed Derek toward their bedroom and away from the kitchen. He tried to resist but eventually went with a dramatic huff. Stiles waited until he heard the bedroom door close and quickly shuffled around the kitchen, plating their food and placing the pregnancy test in a cute little rectangular box for Derek to open later. He placed everything on the table, including the box, right above Derek's plate and waited for Derek to return.

“Ugh, it smells so good!” Derek exclaimed as he walked back into the room. “I wish you could cook every night.”

Stiles grinned at the praise and sat down, waiting for Derek to notice the box. It took him a moment, pouring both of them some wine and almost picking up his fork until he saw it. He froze for a moment, trying to figure out what it was just with sight but then looked over at Stiles.

“What's that?”

Stiles played it off like it was no big deal. He gently pushed the glass of wine to the side, wondering if Derek would pick up on it. “It's a box, Der.”

“I can see that but what's it for?”

Stiles shrugged, taking a bite of his food. He nearly moaned at the taste, feeling very proud of himself. His eyes flickered up to Derek who still stared at the box like it was some big mystery he didn't know how to solve. Stiles wanted to scream at him to open it but forced himself to wait. He didn't want to ruin the surprise with his excitement.

“You should eat your food before it gets cold.”

Derek picked the box up and his heart skipped. He was about to open it and Stiles was going to squeal. This was the moment they had both been waiting for since Stiles went off his suppressants. Derek removed the top of the box and froze, eyes growing wide. Stiles grinned and waited for him to look up.

“Are you serious?” his voice was unsure. “Is this real?”

Stiles nodded. “Peed on it myself.”

“Holy shit!” Derek practically shouted and Stiles laughed. “This is real! You're actually pregnant!” He leaped to his feet and pulled Stiles up with him. He kissed him like his life depended on it, with so much heat and passion. “Oh my God, no more wine for you!”

Stiles giggled and held onto Derek’s neck, legs latched around his waist as he carried Stiles to their bedroom. They stumbled into their bedroom and fumbled with their clothes. Stiles hardly needed any prep as the kiss made him horny as hell. Derek thrust into him, constantly touching his flat stomach like he needed a reminder that it was all real. He came inside of him and knotted like he wasn’t already knocked up.

The food was most definitely cold by the time they returned to it.

 

* * *

 

Nothing, and Stiles meant _nothing,_ was ever going to bypass the pure joy he felt whenever his pup first kicked in his belly. It was an alien sensation that caught him so off guard that he nearly shrieked. Derek had run into the room, having heard his labored breath and tried to find the source of the problem. Except, there was no problem, just the perfect pup inside of him.

“The pup kicked,” Stiles whispered, afraid that if he spoke to loud he'd spook the pup. He gestured for Derek to walk over and then helped place a careful hand over the spot where he felt the movement.

They both held their breaths.

The pup kicked again as if it could sense it's audience. Derek's eyes were wide with shock and happiness, kneeling down in front of Stiles to get closer to his belly. He pressed his other hand to the other side of Stiles's belly and grinned.

“She's moving like crazy!”

Stiles nodded as he felt every squirm inside of him. He wondered what his little pup was doing in there. Maybe she would grow up to be a soccer player or a kickboxer. Whatever she was, Stiles knew he'd love her no matter what. She was his and that was all that mattered.

They sat there for a while, neither of them saying anything, just experiencing the moment. It was beautiful. Stiles could hardly help himself when Derek kissed his belly. He squirmed and felt the smallest bit of slick come out of his hole. Anytime Derek was even slightly paternal, he immediately got turned on.

Derek looked up at him with an arched eyebrow. Stiles blushed and looked away, down at his growing belly. It was the cause of all this horniness, so many hormones. Derek never seemed to mind but maybe he was weirded out by Stiles getting turned on by such an intimate moment.

“Sorry,” Stiles murmured and make a move to stand so that he could move around a bit. Derek caught him before he could even make it halfway to his feet.

“What do you have to be sorry about?”

“I'm-” Stiles groaned and turned a deeper shade of red. “I'm getting turned on again and you probably think it's weird.”

“Have I ever found it weird before whenever you got horny? It's the hormones, Stiles. You can't control them and I'm happy to help out whenever you need me.”

Stiles looked up at Derek's eyes to find the sincerity in them. It was true, he had never gotten weirded out whenever Stiles practically pounced on him when the feeling hit. He always just went with it.

“Y-you sure?”

Instead of an answer, Derek pushed Stiles back against the pillows with a passionate kiss. Stiles gasped and spread his legs to accommodate Derek, although it was an awkward position with his belly between them. Derek made due. The pup kicked again and Derek laughed.

“Already ruining our sex life and she's not even born yet.”

Stiles shook his head. “She's not here yet, we still have time,” he paused, “I mean, if you want.”

“Is that even a question?”

Stiles grinned. “I want to go slow, okay? Wanna take our time.” Derek had been working a lot more in hopes of saving more money for the pup and the previous times Stiles had been horny, it had been hot and quick.

“As you wish.”

And they did go slow. Derek teased Stiles, licking him up and down, sucking him until he gasped, pressing thick fingers inside until he was on edge. Stiles begged softly, feeling his insides clench up, wanting something more. He whimpered and cried out, not even caring that he was writhing around like a breached whale. Derek hardly seemed to mind either. He slipped inside in one smooth thrust that almost caused Stiles to come untouched.

They made love quietly, mostly panting and moaning softly into each other’s ears. With his belly at five months, there was still some awkward rearranging between the two of them. They usually fucked with Stiles straddling Derek’s lap so that his belly wasn’t stuck in between them. Stiles liked it that way, anyway. He liked the control and the way Derek's hands could touch his belly from this angle.

Stiles came more than once during their time together. He came before Derek knotted and then after and then once after Derek pulled out and rimmed him. By the end, he was utterly exhausted. His pup kicked again just as he began to drift and startled him.

“I don't think she appreciated that.”

Derek snorted. “She's in a happy warm place right now. She's got nothing to complain about.”

Stiles's stomach growled in hunger seconds later. “Maybe that's why she's kicking.”

Derek kissed him on the cheek and rolled out of bed. “What do you want? I'll make it.”

Stiles perked up. The options were limitless.

 

* * *

 

Labor was hard. It woke him up in the middle of the night to viscous heat-like cramps throbbing every now and then. He violently woke Derek up, slapping him on his bare chest until he bolted upright in bed. Derek looked like he was about to get mad until he realized what was going on. He jumped into action, not even telling Stiles what to do.

“Derek,” Stiles called, getting to his feet. He was still in his PJ bottoms so he struggled to push them off his hips in an attempt to change into something more reasonable. It definitely wasn't happening because he was an actual whale. “Der?”

Derek was flying around the room, throwing things into their overnight bag despite the fact that they had prepared it weeks ago. He was oblivious to Stiles's struggle.

“Derek,” Stiles tried again and Derek stopped abruptly. “Hey, hi, yeah pregnant omega over here. I can't get my pants off or my underwear for that matter.”

“Shit,” Derek cursed and rushed over. “Sorry, sorry!”

Stiles laughed even though he was freaking out a little bit. At least Derek was there with him. He felt a little better because of it. He assisted Derek as much as he could to get his pants off and replace them with his birthing pants, which were mainly just stretchy and soft as hell.

“Okay, hospital!” Derek announced. “Oh God, what if the doctor isn't there? What are we supposed to do? It's not like you can just wait! God, what if you have to deliver in the car? I've read way too many horror stories of omegas having to give birth naturally." 

“Derek!” Stiles yelled, cutting his husband off. “Calm down. Everything's gonna be fine. Dr. Patterson said he's always on call. We'll be okay.” If Stiles didn't know any better, he'd wonder if Derek was pregnant too. “Let’s just get into the car and get to the hospital.”

Derek nodded and quickly grabbed their bags. Stiles tried to keep himself calm as they drove to the hospital. His pup was coming and it was terrifying him.

The unfortunate thing about a c-section was that Stiles was shielded from the view of his open stomach. This was probably fine for every other omega who had a c-section but Stiles desperately wanted to see what was going on. He wasn’t even sure if his pup was out or not. The only person he had behind him was a nurse and Derek, who held his hand so tightly and watched over the veil.

“You’re doing so great, Stiles,” Derek encouraged. “They’ve almost got her out.”

Stiles nodded and then felt his world go kind of sideways all at once. His hand frantically gripped Derek’s, trying to bring himself back down but it wasn’t stopping. Distantly, he heard the monitor, that was supposed to be keeping track of his heartbeat, beep rapidly and out of rhythm. Stiles went cold and clammy all at once and could only see Derek’s fearful expression above him.

“He’s losing too much blood,” someone shouted and Stiles felt all the blood in his face drain. He was having a hard time keeping his eyes open even though he tried so desperately. Derek’s hand was ripped from his own and he heard his husband shouting at the doctors.

Above all of that noise, he heard one beautiful thing. He heard the sound of his baby girl, the amazing sound of her first breath and the screams that followed. And then he slipped away, succumbing to the loss of blood. He prayed that whatever happened, his pup, his daughter, would be okay and that he may live to see her.

 

* * *

 

The first time he held his baby girl in his arms, he was slightly drugged and incredibly tired but nothing could possibly ruin that moment. He had been cut open and sewn back together and drugged but this, his pup, was like nothing he had ever felt before. It was pure joy and happiness. He cried like a baby when the nurses placed her, all bundled up in his arms. Derek cried too, although he had already been crying since Stiles woke up from his surgery. The blood loss had almost been too much.

“Oh God,” Stiles blubbered, “she’s gorgeous, Der. She’s perfect. Look at her! She got my eyes and your nose and all of that hair!”

Derek kissed Stiles and their baby, wiping tears from his face.

“What should we name her?”

“Nora.”

Derek grinned down at the pup. “Nora Claudia Talia Stilinski-Hale.”

Stiles shook his head with a short giggle. “This poor kid. She’s got a mouthful of a name.”

“She’ll survive,” Derek commented. “She’ll be tough, just like her dad.”

“Who you?” Stiles joked half-heartedly.

Derek rolled his eyes. “We’re gonna have to figure out what she’ll call us. Can’t be calling us both dad or we’ll get confused. You can be dad and I can be papa?”

Stiles nodded. “Whatever she wants to call us. She could call me Stiles for all I care. I just want her happy.”

They held their daughter for a while and then visitors were allowed to come in. Scott and Isaac and Stiles’s dad were the first to come, all cooing and babbling over how gorgeous little Nora was. Jupiter and Nathan came afterwards. Nathan was carrying his own little pup in his belly, just barely over a month along. When he told Stiles, Stiles had literally spat out his water. He never thought the scared, shy little omega he met in self defense class would be pregnant so soon. Given he and Jupiter had been together since he was sixteen but still.

It wasn’t until after everyone left and the nurses had put Nora down to sleep that Derek curled up next to Stiles and scented him like he hadn’t done in years. It took Stiles a moment to realize why he was doing such a thing and when he did, his heart broke a little. Derek had nearly lost his mate and that had terrified him.

“I’m right here,” Stiles whispered, running a soothing hand through Derek’s hair. “I didn’t go anywhere.”

“You almost died on that table. You almost left me.”

“But I didn’t,” Stiles responded. “I lost a little blood but I’m okay. Still in one piece.”

“I was so scared. I thought it was just going to be me raising out pup. I can’t do it alone, Stiles. I’m not good enough. I don’t know the first thing about raising a child. She probably would have turned out to be a thief or a murderer.”

“And you think I know the first thing about parenthood? I’m just as clueless as you, Der. But I’m here and we’re going to do this together.”

“But what if she still turns out to be a thief or a murderer?” Derek asked in a small voice.

“She won’t. We won’t let her become anything bad. We’ll be good parents. We’ll spend time with her and make sure she’s loved. And you know, if she still turns into a thief, it’s her own damn fault.”

Derek kissed him and then kissed him again. “I love you, I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Stiles whispered. “We’re pretty kickass, you know?”

“Why?”

“We made an actual human being and she’s pretty damn cute. I feel pretty successful, don’t you?”

Derek laughed and had to stop himself before he woke Nora up. “Yeah, we’re pretty damn kickass.”

 

* * *

 

Six years later and Stiles had two more children. Neither pregnancy had been a blast but he hadn’t nearly died during the c-section either. He gave birth to Matty after Nora and then Charlie, his baby girl. Nora was six, Matty was three and Charlie was 12 months. Their house was constantly busy and loud but Derek and Stiles loved it beyond words.

To be completely honest, Stiles was terrified when he found out he was pregnant with Matty. It wasn’t like they had been trying but they hadn’t been not trying either. Nora was already almost three by the time he found out so it wasn’t like he was going to have two babies to take care of but the first year with Nora had been hard. Trying to figure parenthood out wasn’t an easy thing. They failed in a lot of areas and the succeed in others. It was trial and error and sometimes Stiles was a bit convinced that Nora was actually going to grow up and be a thief.

All those thoughts went away when Matty was born. His perfect little bundle of joy. Birthing Matty was a piece of cake compared to Nora. They cut him open, took him out, cleaned him up and put Stiles back together again. It was so simple that Stiles was almost confused when he heard the sounds of Matty’s first cry.

Charlie’s birth was no different. She was stubborn though, staying in a few days longer than his due date. She didn’t want to come out but when she did, sporting Stiles’s cute little button nose, he wasn’t even mad at her.

Derek and Stiles had made a perfect little family.

They were out shopping one afternoon, Nora holding Derek’s hand, Charlie in a stroller and Matty holding Stiles’s hand. Nora was babbling on and on about something that happened at school and Derek and Stiles were pretending to listen like good parents. Matty began to tug at Stiles’s hand, which he ignored for a moment since he did it often. He kept tugging moments later so Stiles looked down at him.

“Daddy, who’s that man?”

Stiles tilted his head and looked up where Matty was staring. Across the street stood someone he thought he’d never see again. His heart stopped and his scent must have changed because both Derek and Nora, who had just begun to discover scents, looked over at him.

“Papa, what’s wrong with Daddy?”

Derek’s eyes shifted to follow Stiles’s as well and let out a throaty growl as he did.

Tyler Masterson stood no more than 50 feet away from them. He had aged but Stiles could never forget his face. It was burnt into his brain like a bad memory. Stiles instinctively grabbed for Matty, pulling him closer to his body. At first, he thought that Tyler must have escaped from prison and come back for revenge but it had been ten years which was Tyler’s sentence.

“Stiles, let’s just turn around, okay?”

Stiles was too stunned to speak. For a few months after Tyler's arrest, Stiles had nightmares that he'd come for him and finish what he tried to do that day at the lacrosse ceremony. He was finally free of him and yet there he was, like he was still haunting his dreams. Except this wasn't a dream. Matty was still tugging on his hand, trying to figure out why the strange man was staring at him from across the street. It wasn't a dream because Nora was confused why Papa was snarling and Charlie was crying. It was real.

“Let's just go,” Derek said, grabbing Nora and pulling her into his arms. He grabbed the stroller and began to turn it but Stiles didn't follow. “Stiles, come on.”

“Ten years, Derek. I've been dreaming about this moment for ten years.”

“What do you mean?”

“I dreamt that I'd see him again and that he'd steal everything from me. I didn't think I'd ever see him again. I thought they were just nightmares.”

“They are, baby. Just walk away. We'll go get the kids some ice cream and call it a day.”

“Ice cream!” Nora shrilled.

“I can't,” Stiles answered, still looking at Tyler who hadn't moved an inch. “I want to talk to him.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Ice cream?” Matty perked up, a little behind.

“Der, I never thought I'd get this moment.”

“What are you even going to say to him?”

“That I forgive him.”

Derek's eyes grew wide. “You forgive him?”

Stiles wanted to hesitate because who could forgive someone like that but if having children and having a beautiful life taught him anything, it was that grudges were useless. There was no point hanging onto this anger inside of him, not when he could feel that void with his children's laughter and their silly jokes. Tyler had tried and failed to take his future from him but here he was despite everything.

“Just give me a few minutes, please.”

“I'm not going anywhere,” Derek growled.

“Then stay here with the kids.”

Stiles didn't give him much of a choice because he had already started walking toward  Tyler who snapped out of his daze. He looked frantic for a moment and Stiles thought he was going to run but he didn't.

After ten years, Stiles once again stood in front of his attacker, his torturer, his bully, unafraid and brave. Tyler looked rugged and very prison like but Stiles didn't let any fear release.

“Tyler,” he said, looking him right in the eye.

“Stiles,” Tyler replied, not using omega or Stilinski or bitch to refer to him. “I'm just, uh, I'm just passing through town, picking up a few things before I leave.”

“Leave?”

“Uh, yeah. One condition of my sentence was to leave Beacon Hills once I was released. So you don't have to worry about me. I'll be gone in a few days, I swear.”

Stiles was confused. In all his dream sequences, it never played out like this. Tyler was being civil and respectful. He wasn't trying to strangle Stiles or call him degrading thing.

“Oh.”

“I've been going to therapy since I was released,” Tyler blurted out. “It's really been helping. I realized how badly I had wrong you while I was in prison. Lots of time to think in those cells. But I told my therapist that if I ever did see you again, face to face, that I'd apologize for what I did.”

Stiles felt his mouth open a little but in a silent gasp.

“I'm sorry, Stiles. What I did in highschool, I wish I had never done. It wasn't funny, God, it was fucked up. I was fucked up and I didn't know how to properly control my anger.”

Stiles was speechless. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever think that Tyler Masterson would be someone to apologize for his behavior. He wanted to run, feeling like it was a trap but Tyler seemed genuinely sorry.

Tyler's eyes flickered to Stiles's family behind him and his lip twitches up in a small smile. “You've got a beautiful family, Stiles. And I don't mean that in a creepy way. I'm honestly happy you could get passed what I did to you and be happy.”

Stiles glanced back at his children, his two oldest huddled near Derek's leg and his youngest passed out in her stroller. Derek looked like he wanted to step forward and come to Stiles's rescue but stopped himself.

“Prison changed you, Tyler,” was all Stiles could respond with.

He gave him a grim smile and nodded. “Things are much different in there. Most alphas that are locked up have omegas back home. I'm surprised that didn't string me up and kill me. You learn respect real quick in there.”

Stiles nodded, itching to get back to his pups. “Thank you, Tyler.”

He scoffed gently. “For what?”

“Giving me this moment. I didn't know I needed resolution until I saw you from across the street. I do forgive you despite everything you did because if shaped me into the person I am now. If you hadn't attacked me, I would have never seen Derek again or had those beautiful pups. So while it was really fucked up, I'm not holding a grudge.”

Tyler clasped a hand on Stiles's shoulder and for the first time, Stiles didn't flinch. “Enjoy the rest of your life, Stiles. You deserve it after everything.”

Stiles let him leave. He disappeared down the street before Stiles could even get himself to move. It was surreal in so many ways but he finally felt calm.

Derek and his pups approached him and Marty and Nora squeezed his legs. Derek watched him with careful eyes until Stiles nodded to tell him it was okay because it was.

“Daddy? Who was that?”

“Just a old flame,” Stiles murmured. He'd tell them about Tyler one day, maybe as a lesson in the way you should treat others but for now, there was no need.

Everything was at peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap! Thank you all so much for the overwhelming support. Never did I think this fic was going to be as popular and successful as it became. It was such a joy to write this and I'm seriously going to miss it. But don't worry, you can always come back and re-read it;) 
> 
> PS. There's going to be one more chapter attached after I write it about Jupiter and Nate!
> 
> Thank you, thank you, thank you all!<3


	27. Nate and Jupiter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nate and Jupiter's story:)
> 
> Includes: Fluff, angst, heat partners, sexual content (duh), mpreg, heats, comfort, a whole bunch of cute stuff and Nate/Jupiter which is what you all wanted!

**Before**

Nathan Flynn was one of those kids that kept to himself. He avoided people as best as he could, not from lack of social skills or anything like that, he just preferred to be left alone. At home, it was almost always quiet, his mom worked nights which meant the only time they actually saw each other was on the rare chance Nathan stayed up late due to homework. His dad was away a lot too, business trips as he called them but for some reason his “business” didn’t bring too much money home, usually just the smell of another omega or beta he had found to entertain him while he was away. His mom never said anything and Nathan knew it was probably because she wanted to act like it didn’t happen.

The fact that neither of his parents were really around meant neither of them noticed when he was gone, nobody did. That might have been the reason nobody came looking for him when he was walking home from the store one night and got jumped by a group of alphas. Most of what happened was a blur, a really painful blur that left him sobbing in the asphalt as soon as they were done.

Most people would say he had gotten lucky. The alphas could have done much worse to him but they hadn't. Nobody talked about the fact that Nathan could specifically remember the scent of beer radiating off of them as they slammed fist and feet into his body. Nobody really cared. Even his parents, who seemed concerned at first, brushed it off after a while, telling him to get over it, that they probably didn't mean it, they were drunk.

Nathan closed himself off after that, put up an impenetrable guard to protect himself. It was easier that way. Nothing was going to change his fear, it was too deep set.

Then Nathan saw the sign for Alpha, Beta, Omega on his bike ride to school. Someone had finally bought the building after months of it being on sale. Nathan thought about stopping by after school since nobody would know otherwise but every time he stopped on the sidewalk, he couldn't get himself to walk in.

It took him months before he worked up the courage to go inside. He was shaky and nervous, wondering if he was making the right decision. The place was called Alpha, Beta, Omega but that didn't mean everyone was actually welcome. The mingled scents smacked him in the face as soon as he walked in. Multiple people were working out at different machines across the gym and nobody gave him a second glance, except for a short, perky omega girl who skipped over to him.

“Hi there! I'm Olive, assistant manager, can I help you with something?”

“Uh,” Nathan muttered, “I was thinking about joining?”

Olive grinned and walked over to the desk near the door. Nathan took a moment to follow but eventually got his feet to listen. Olive pulled a few papers out from a cabinet and placed them in front of Nathan.

“We offer memberships starting at $15 a month. That includes complete access to the gym and all of its machines. The gym is usually open from 6 am to 11 pm. Derek, the owner, and I run a free omega self defense class weekly if you're interested. Super fun and informational!”

Nathan felt his guard go up at her words. There was no way for her to know about what happened to him. The cops hadn’t done anything and all of his wounds had healed by now. He had no reason to be defensive but he felt like he needed to be.

Olive notices the look on his face and frowned. “Totally not required, I just thought I'd let you know.”

Nathan nodded. “T-thanks,” he says trying to calm himself a bit.

They stood in silence for a moment before Olive cleared her throat. “So, what do you think? Want to become a member? We can do a little tour if you want?”

Nathan shook his head. What had he been thinking? He didn't have the money for a gym. He was broke and so his family. School kept him too busy to get a job in hopes of maybe getting good enough grades for a scholarship that would get him out of his house.

“Oh,” Olive said, sounding kind of disappointed. “Okay, well that's okay! I'll still give you all of the paperwork and stuff if you change your mind.”

Nathan nodded, feeling anxious all of the sudden. He began to fidget with his hands awkwardly, desperately wanting to leave already. The smell of alpha was getting stronger and making him feel sick.

Olive handed Nathan the papers with a tender smile. “Are you alright, sweetie?”

Nathan shook a little. “Y-yeah.”

Olive didn't seem convinced and before Nathan could escape, an alpha approached him. He smelled kind, but the initial scent made Nathan step back uneasily.

He was fine. He was safe.

“Derek!”

“Olive, what's going on?”

Olive looked guilty. “I think I may have scared our visitor a bit.”

Nathan’s mind screamed for him to run, on high defense because of what happened before. His trust level was down significantly.

Derek turned to face Nathan. “Hey, you okay?”

Nathan was visibility shaking now. “I-I'm fine.” God, why had he been so stupid? This wasn't a place for him to be.

Derek's face shifted a little, turning into something sympathetic. “Do you want to sit down. You look a little pale.”

_Don't trust him. Don't let him hurt you._

Nathan shook his head, taking another step back. Derek took a hesitant step forward and that's all it took for Nathan to take off running. He ran until he got home and only then, he realized he had forgotten all about his bike.

 

* * *

 

It took Nathan about a week of walking back and forth to school to realize he needed to go get his bike. It should have been easy to go grab it and leave, but he really didn't want to. Eventually, he forced himself to go get it since it had been a birthday present for his mom and she had worked her ass of for it. He wasn't an ungrateful brat.

He was just about to grab it whenever the door to the gym opened. His body froze as someone walked out. It wasn't the person that walked out that caused Nathan's heart to stop, it was the person holding the door. He didn’t notice him at first, but as Nathan’s body refused to move, he eventually saw him.

“Nathan, right?” Derek asked, making no move to come toward him.

“Y-yeah, yes,” he answered nervously. Derek still radiated with that same kind scent that should have comforted Nathan.

“I’m glad you came back for your bike,” he said with a quirky smile. “I was getting worried somebody was going to steal it before you came back for it.”

Nathan nodded quickly. “T-thanks.”

A second ticked by. “You don’t need to be scared,” Derek said calmly. “It’s safe here, I promise.”

Nathan shook his head. “I don’t think it’s safe for me anywhere.”

Derek’s face showed concern a second later and Nathan regretted his words. He just want to take his bike and flee. “What do you mean?”

“N-nothing, I should get going.”

Derek hesitated, looking like he wanted to say something. “I’d really like it if you came to one of our omega self defense classes. Nobody is going to force you, but I promise, it will make you feel better. Give you somebody to talk to about whatever is going on.”

Nathan wanted to refuse, but Derek was right. He hadn’t spoke to anybody about the incident since it happened and there was no malice scent coming from the alpha. He ran a gym for all presentations.

“Olive, the omega you met before, helps run it. She’ll be there.”

“I-I don’t have the money,” Nathan muttered, feeling his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. He hated admitting that he was broke off his ass.

“The class is free.”

Well shit, now he had no other excuse.

“I, um, I don’t know.”

“Just give it a thought, okay? It’s on Thursday night at six. There’s some really cool people that come.”

“O-okay, I-I’ll think about it,” Nathan answered, grabbing for his bike again.

“Be safe on your way home, okay?”

Nathan nodded and backed up slowly, bringing the bike with him. Derek watched him go and Nathan told himself it was only to make sure he made it safely.

The second he got home, he researched Derek Hale. The information that first popped up was all about the Hale fire that had taken his family’s lives. Those made Nathan sad so he stopped reading about them. The less popular articles were about the new gym Derek had opened a little while ago. He was an omega rights activist and believed in equality. There was a blurb about why he opened the gym.

_Alpha, Beta, Omega was a dream of mine ever since I left Beacon Hills. I saw the inequality the world experienced, especially omegas and I wanted to make a difference. What better place to start than the place I grew up? ABO is a place where all presentations can feel equally welcome and safe in their environment. I want to provide a useful and safe place for everyone in the community and that’s what ABO is there for._

By the end of the article, Nathan had convinced himself to go back on Thursday and try the class. If there were still people like Derek in the world, he could learn to trust it again.

And as fate would have it, that gym ended up changing his life.

 

**After**

_“Hi, I'm Jupiter Young.” Jupiter held his hand out for Nathan to shake._ _  
_ _Nathan slowly grinned, reaching his hand out to meet Jupiter's in the middle. “Hi Jupiter. I'm Nathan Flynn, it's nice to meet you.”_

That was how it began. With a heat and an unexpected mate.

Nathan’s freaking mate.

He remembered lying there with Jupiter after his heat. They didn’t do anything; they just sat there and talked. Jupiter was the only son of a female alpha who had been artificially inseminated at the age of 30. She hadn’t wanted to wait for a man just to have a child and so Jupiter came to be.

When it came to talking about Nathan’s life, it got hard. Jupiter didn’t push it, but Nathan felt this undeniable trust between them. Maybe it was because they were mates or because Jupiter had seen him through a heat without making any advances, but it was there. So, he told him the truth, about the assault and the mistrust. He told him about Derek and Stiles and how he was starting to trust alphas again.

The look on Jupiter’s face when Nathan mentioned the assault was pure horror. He almost looked angry, but the look immediately disappeared once Nathan’s scent turned sour. Nathan didn’t blame him though, his mate had been attacked before they met and he couldn’t do anything about it.

It was hard to go home after that. After being held by Jupiter and wrapped in his enticing scent. Jupiter stopped outside Nathan’s house and they both lingered in the car. Were they supposed to kiss or hug? Was Nathan just supposed to get out of the car and pretend like this whole mate thing didn’t happen? He didn’t want to leave Jupiter yet.

“I, uh,” Nathan mumbled and messed with his hands. “I mean, uh, thanks for, you know, helping me. And for the ride.”

Jupiter smiled gently. “You’re very welcome, Nate. Thank you for coming in, I’m really, really happy you did.”

Nathan blushed hard and looked down at his lap.

There was a long silence between them before Jupiter reached over and grabbed Nathan's hand. “I want to continue this, Nate. If you're not into that, I’ll leave you alone and you never have to see me again. But, I want to get to know you.”

Nathan turned toward Jupiter with a panicked look. How could he ever not want to see Jupiter again? He was his mate, the one that he was destined to be with. It wasn’t necessarily rare to find a mate, but Nathan never thought it was going to happen for him. At least, he didn’t think he was going to be okay with it when it did after being so scared of alphas.

“I-I’d like to get to know you too,” Nathan said, trying to ease his racing heart. Jupiter was good and kind and he wasn’t going to leave him or hurt him.

Jupiter grinned widely. “We can take things slow, okay? Nothing has to be rushed between the two of us, but you’re my mate and I don’t intend on letting you go unless you specifically tell me to.”

Nathan nodded. He wasn’t ready for this moment to end. He had only spent two days with Jupiter and he felt like he wanted to spend a lifetime with him. It sounded cliche and farfetched, but it was true.

“Jupiter?”

“Yeah, pup?”

“I don’t want to go inside,” he whispered. His mom wasn’t going to be home for hours. She probably hadn’t even been terribly concerned about where he had been all weekend. And his dad had skipped town a few weeks back and hadn’t returned since. Nathan figured he was gone for good this time.

“Why not?” Jupiter asked, his alpha suddenly on high alert. Nathan could tell he was releasing a bitter scent that was triggering Jupiter’s alpha.

“I don't want to leave,” he replied after a moment, feeling his cheeks heat up. “I want to-”

Jupiter gave him a moment to see if he'd finish his sentence. When he didn't, he encouraged him. “Tell me, Nate. What do you want?”

“Iwannastaywithyou,” he said in a huge rush.

Jupiter was quiet and Nathan worried he ruined everything already.

“I'm sorry,” he said, “I'm sorry, that was really weird. I shouldn't have said that, way too soon.” He wanted to jump out of the car and run inside, but he was still buckled into his seat.

“Nate,” Jupiter called, “Nate, look at me.”

Nathan’s eyes flickered up, wanting to obey.

“We just spent a heat together and found out that we were mates, wanting to stay with me for a little longer is the furthest from weird, okay? I want to stay with you too, but I wasn’t about to force or rush you into anything.”

“S-so, I can stay?”

“Of course, pup. How about we go get coffee?”

Nathan nodded eagerly. Anything to stay with his mate.

 

* * *

 

It was Nathan’s sixteen birthday when Nathan finally got the balls to kiss Jupiter. After spending five heats together and doing nothing more than cuddle, it was an unexpected move for the both of them. They had been taking things extremely slow, which he wasn’t protesting, but he wanted a little more.

He hadn’t been in heat thankfully because he wanted to remember it perfectly. Jupiter had picked him up from school one afternoon like he normally did and just before he got out of the car at his house where Jupiter had dropped him off, he got brave and launched himself over the center console. Nathan had never kissed anyone before so he was clumsy and awkward, but that didn’t stop him.

Jupiter hadn’t expected it because he had gone completely still whenever Nathan’s lips first touched. It only took a few moments of Nathan’s persistent lips for Jupiter to lose control. He was hungry for Nathan, as any alpha was for their mate and he had been holding back for so long.

Nathan remembered how he ended up straddling Jupiter’s lap and grinding up against him until he came. It was their first out of heat sexual encounter and shy little Nathan, had surprised himself. So much so that he was beyond embarrassed and jumped out of the car without even saying goodbye. He was young and inexperienced and he had just come on Jupiter’s lap outside of his heat.

Jupiter called him multiple times after that encounter, but Nathan could never get himself to answer. It wasn’t until his heat flared up two weeks later, way too early and catching him off guard, that Nathan realized he was going to have to speak with his mate.

It worried him that Jupiter wasn’t going to be there when he requested him or that he wouldn’t want to see him. He almost didn’t go to the clinic because he was worried so badly, but the beta nurse returned with his mate who stood just a few feet away from him.

Jupiter looked relieved as soon as he saw Nathan, which just confused him more. “I-I thought-”

Nathan stepped forward into Jupiter’s space, craving his alpha’s scent. His omega whined desperately as soon as he got close. He resisted touching his mate, still unsure if Jupiter was going to want him after what happened.

“I’m sorry,” Nathan blurted out, thankful that he was still in the early stages of his heat. “I’m so sorry, Jupiter!”

Jupiter didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around Nathan’s shaking body. He dragged him against his chest and let Nathan suck in lungfuls of his scent to calm himself down. “Shh, it’s okay. Nate, it’s okay. I was just so worried. I didn’t know what to think. I thought I had hurt you.”

Nathan shook his head, but didn’t let go. “I didn’t know what to do.”

“Why’d you run from me?” Jupiter asked softly.

“I kissed you and then I came in your lap like some,” Nathan took a greedy gasp of air, “like some needy omega.”

“Hey,” Jupiter scolded lightly. “That’s not true.”

Nathan shrugged. “I’m not like that.”

“Like what? A normal person who comes from an intimate situation with your mate?”

Nathan frowned. Well, when he put it that way, it didn’t seem so bad.

“Well, now I’m just a freak for running away afterwards.”

Jupiter laughed and led him to their room. It was their normal routine. They’d go to the room and he’d let Nathan lay on the bed and curl up against him until the heat got bad. This time, once they got into the room, Jupiter took off his own shirt before allowing Nathan to sit. It caught the omega off guard and he was left feeling awkward in his own skin.

“W-whatcha doing?”

“Do you trust me?” Jupiter questioned. “I’m only going to do this if you trust me.”

Nathan nodded without hesitation. “But, what are you doing?”

“Gonna show you that you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I don’t want you to be scared to be intimate with me. I don’t want anything about my body to freak you out, okay?”

“B-but my heat?”

“You’ve still got some time and I have excellent self control. Don’t worry, we’re not doing anything you don’t want.”

Nathan nodded, feeling a little nervous and a little more excited about whatever was happening. His omega had craved intimacy with his alpha since his first heat with his mate. Jupiter had never been naked with Nathan during his heat. Nathan had never even seen Jupiter’s body.

He watched as the alpha disrobed completely, leaving him as the naked one in the room when it was usually Nathan. Nathan’s eyes automatically drifted down to Jupiter’s cock which was only half hard despite all the heat smells in the air. His alpha really did have self control. His cheeks flared up in a deep pink color and he forced himself to look away.

“You can look, pup. It’s just me.”

Nathan took a deep breathe and then looked at Jupiter again. This time, he took in his whole body. It made his desperate body produce more slick and heat up everywhere. He wanted to touch him, run his fingers over his abs, feel the curled hair around his groin. He wanted to be a needy omega if it meant having Jupiter like this.

“Lay back on the bed, pup,” Jupiter instructed. Nathan did it without even thinking. “I want you to close your eyes, okay?”

Nathan looked at him with an unsure expression.

“Only if you want. I promise I’m not going to do anything extreme and you can stop me at any point.”

Jupiter was his mate. He could trust him with everything so he closed his eyes and waited. The bed dipped, indicating that Jupiter was climbing into it with him. He forced himself to keep his eyes closed.

“I want you to touch me,” Jupiter whispered, his voice very close to Nathan’s face. “I want you to keep your eyes closed and let your hand go wherever it wants.”

Nathan gulped, but didn’t move. After a few moments, Jupiter helped him with the first step and moved his hand to his chest. Nathan let out a small sound and pressed his palm against the alpha’s warm chest. He could feel his heartbeat underneath the surface, even and calm unlike his own.

His fingers moved on their own accord, exploring the plane of Jupiter’s chest. They went up first, not ready to explore what laid below quite yet. He went up to the alpha’s throat and felt his adam’s apple, feeling him swallow against his fingertips. His jawline was sharp and there was a hint of stubble along his chin and cheeks. Nathan grinned when he touched Jupiter's mouth and felt him smiling too. Neither of them said a word.

It was only after a few minutes that Nathan let his hand trail downward. He let it inch past Jupiter's belly button and toward the curl of hair. And then he paused, unsure of what he was supposed to do. Did Jupiter want him to touch him sexually or just explore him? He wasn't sure, but he kind of wanted to do both.

“Jupiter?” Nathan spoke softly, keeping his eyes closed like his alpha asked.

As if he knew what Nathan was going to ask, he answered, “Touch me, pup.”

Nathan leaned forward, his hand drifting down at the same time. He took Jupiter's cock in his hand just as he brought his lips to his. Jupiter moaned into him, shuddering as Nathan moved his fingers over his length. He was soft and growing harder under Nathan’s touch. It made Nathan’s heat flare up a bit, which worried him. Despite the way Jupiter felt in his hand, he wasn’t ready for that yet. He could barely take a two in knotting dildos and Jupiter was much, much bigger than a two.

“Jupiter, I don’t want-”

“It’s okay, Nate,” Jupiter whispered. “I know. We’re not doing anything more than this.”

Nathan let out a soft sigh and nodded. He trusted Jupiter more than words could express. If he said they wouldn't go any further, they wouldn't.

They stayed like that for a while; Jupiter allowing Nathan to touch him whenever he wanted. Eventually, Nathan grew braver and tightened his grip around Jupiter's cock.

The alpha let out a startled gasp and Nathan froze. “You're good, Nate. I just wasn't expecting that,” he said with a shy chuckle.

“O-okay,” Nathan responded and moved his hand. He had never given a hand job before. Part of him wondered how many other needy omegas had touched Jupiter in such a way.

He was determined to be the only one to make him feel beyond amazing.

Despite his clumsiness and complete lack of knowledge on how to pleasure an alpha, Nathan made the alpha moan and groan like nobody’s business. Jupiter kissed him frantically as Nathan pumped him with a soft hand.

“Just like that,” Jupiter whispered and Nathan felt his entire body go hotter. “Right there, pup.”

“A-Am I doing it okay?”

Jupiter laughed, a throaty sound because of the pleasure he was feeling. “Y-yeah, yeah, you’re doing amazing.”

Some amount of relief washed through Nathan’s body. He hoped he was the only one who had ever made Jupiter make sounds like this. Instead of dwelling on that, he focused his attention on making Jupiter come harder than he ever had before. Trying a different technique, Nathan twisted his wrist on the glide upward and swiped his thumb over the tip of Jupiter’s cock. The alpha bucked upward into his hand and breathed out his name like a prayer.

Nathan could feel his slick gushing out at this point, the sexual nature of this act probably triggering it faster. He didn’t want to go all the way yet, but this was a good place to start, touching him, exploring his body.

Jupiter’s knot began to form a few moments later and Nathan could feel it under his hand. His breath caught in his throat as his fingers experimentally danced over the surface of the hardening area. Jupiter let out a rough sound and clasped a hand over Nathan’s to stop him. Nathan’s heart stopped for a second, scared he had done something wrong.

“Can I do something?” Jupiter asked, eyes closed like he was trying to concentrate.

“W-what?”

“I want you to come with me,” he said huskily. “I want us to come together, okay?”

God, Nathan was going to come just from those words. He had zero stimulation, but the heat made everything so much more amplified.

“O-okay,” he whispered. “How?”

“Spread your legs for me.” Nathan did and Jupiter’s hand slipped in between them, rubbing him through the soft material. His finger found the soaking part of his sweats and pressed against his hole. Nathan gasped and twitched. That was the closest Jupiter had ever come to touching that part of him. It had always been a toy that had soothed him during his heats.

“Do you think you can come like this?” Jupiter asked while pressing against Nathan’s hole. It wasn’t much, but Nathan was already so pent up. The feeling of something almost pressing into him made him shiver. “Nate?”

Nathan’s eyes snapped opened, although he wasn’t sure when he had closed them. “Y-yeah, yes, I’ll come.”

Jupiter’s eyes flashed something that could only resemble lust and he lurched forward in the small space between them, locking his lips against Nathan’s. The kiss was hungry and so much unlike their first. Jupiter took the lead on this one, controlling all the movements, the pace, the tongue. Jupiter pulled away before Nathan could get enough and left him whimpering.

“I want you to come, okay, pup?”

Nathan nodded furiously, just as Jupiter began to rub again. He almost forgot that their goal was to come together, too consumed by the amazing feeling of Jupiter’s fingers almost pressing inside of him. He quickly started to move his hand again, hoping that Jupiter was still close to orgasm because he was already teetering on the edge.

“Jupe-Jupiter!” Nathan screamed, feeling his hole clench around nothing. He needed more. He needed something to push him over the edge. “I need more, please. Please, I need something inside.”

Jupiter hushed him with a kiss that he panted into. Without preamble, Jupiter began to rub and push a little harder. Between the heavy breathing and desperate moans, they were both close. Just as Nathan began to massage Jupiter’s knot and Jupiter pressed against his furled hole, they both stopped breathing. And then the floodgates were opened.

“Fuck, fuck, Nate!” Jupiter chanted.

“Jupiter, Jupiter!” Nathan chanted.

Jupiter came between them, shooting against both of their stomachs. Nathan came mostly dry, a small amount of come was released, but most of his orgasm was internal, making his hole flutter. He clung to Jupiter, leg thrown over his hip like he was going to disappear. Somehow, it was a better orgasm than anything the toy had given him.

At the height of his heat, Jupiter’s fingers finally entered Nathan. It was the first time anything other than the knotting dildo had been inside of him. It wasn’t the same kind of feeling. It wasn’t like he was full or satisfied by the feeling of two fingers inside of him, but it was Jupiter and that made him cry tears of joy.

Jupiter allowed him to sob, slowly pumping his fingers to give Nathan some relief. Nathan clung to his alpha, practically riding his fingers. There wasn’t much to be embarrassed about when he was in heat. He was needy and whiny and desperate, but Jupiter knew all of that by now. He gave him what he needed every time. Well, most of the time that was.

 

* * *

 

The truth came out six months after his sixteenth birthday. It happened after Nathan arrived at the heat clinic only to find that Jupiter was with another patient. His heats had just barely begun to sync up with one another every month so he didn’t fault Jupiter for not remembering what day it usually started on, but his omega did. Jupiter was with someone else, helping someone else through their heat, instead of him.

He felt sick.

The beta nurse offered to let him know, but Nathan said no. Instead, he requested a room alone, with no heat partner. He stared at the door for the longest time, hoping Jupiter would walk in, but he never did. So, Nathan slept.

Jupiter wasn’t there when he woke up and he had to work himself through a wave of heat without anyone there to whisper comforting words into his ear. It felt like the heat was worse than previous ones since Jupiter wasn’t around. It was like his omega was retaliating.

After a day of unrelenting heat, Nathan couldn’t take it anymore. Somehow, he managed to stumble out of his room in a mild daze, searching for something. He was looking for Jupiter or for some relief. Through the heat daze, he wasn’t really sure what he wanted. Luckily, he managed to put a pair of sweat.

There was a scent in the air that Nathan followed blindly. He stumbled around, leaning against walls to keep himself from falling. His body was on fire, absolute fire and he needed something to soothe it. He wanted the scent, wanting to find where it was coming from.

His mind screamed _mate, mate, mate_.

As he rounded the corner, the scent intensified. There he was, his mate, in all his glory. He was leaning against a wall, looking sweaty and tired. Nathan let out a whimper, feeling his hole slick up even more in the presence of his alpha. His omega was about ready to drop to the floor and present himself.

The whimper caught Jupiter’s attention and he turned with a surprised face. His expression shifted almost immediately when he saw Nathan’s state and probably smelled him. His eyes flashed red before he controlled himself.

“Nate? Nate, what the hell?”

He was next to him in a second, touching his face, smoothing back his sweat-slick hair. Nathan let out a needy whine and leaned into him. The scent was so good and too much and made Nathan want to come. He wanted to feel Jupiter inside of him and feel his come. But, the logical, still sane part of him didn’t want that yet. Not while he was in heat and desperate. His first time was something he wanted to be completely present for.

“Why didn’t you get me?” Jupiter questioned harshly. “I was here. I would have come.”

“B-beta nurse told me you were with someone.”

“I would have come,” Jupiter sounded mad. It made Nathan want to bare his neck and submit.

Despite Jupiter being next to him, he didn’t feel much better. Physically, he did, but emotionally, he still wanted to cry his eyes out. He felt so incredibly rejected by his mate even though it wasn’t Jupiter’s fault. His omega saw it differently. Each heat seemed to be harder on his omega since Jupiter hadn’t marked or mated him yet. That was something his body craved and was denied every time.

“You’re trembling, Nate. Come here, let’s get you back to your room.” Once in the room, Jupiter helped Nathan lay back against the pillows, but didn’t lie down with him. That scared Nathan, making him think that Jupiter was going to leave him there again.

“When did the heat start?” he sounded so clinical and reserved.

“Y-yesterday,” Nathan replied shakily.

“Have you used the toys yet?”

“W-wasn’t enough,” he answered and groaned against the pillowcase.

“What size did you use?”

Nathan wasn’t sure why he was hounding him with questions, but he answered anyway. “Two.”

The stern facade dropped instantly and Jupiter was next to him again. “I need to check you, okay? I think you need a three, but I need to check how open you are. Is that okay with you?”

Nathan nodded and shifted his hips so that Jupiter could take his sweats off. The second his hole was exposed to the air, he let out a soft moan. Jupiter carefully pulled his cheeks apart and paused.

“Just my fingers, okay?”

Nathan nodded.

Jupiter pressed two fingers inside and then a third. It wasn’t exactly enough, but Nathan shuddered at the feeling.

“Okay, pup. I think you’re going to need a three for this round.”

“J-just don’t leave,” Nathan begged and spread his legs a little further. “Please, please, I don’t think I can take it.”

Jupiter was next to him a moment later. “I’m not going to leave you, Nate. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here earlier. If I had known-”

“I know,” Nathan said, because he understood. He knew Jupiter would have never left him alone on purpose. It had been his fault for being so stubborn. “I thought I could do it on my own, but I need you.”

“Shh, I know. Heats without mates are brutal. Heat partner, remember?” he said with a small smirk.

Nathan laughed a little, his throat dry.

Jupiter went serious again. “I'm here now. I'm not going to leave, pup. Let me grab the toy, okay? I'll just be a second.”

When Jupiter returned, Nathan had flipped onto his back. His body was tired and despite the desire to present, he couldn't anymore.

“Wanna turn around for me?” Jupiter questioned.

“N-no, I wanna see your face, please.”

Jupiter gave him a sad, sympathetic look. “Yeah, I wanna see your face too.”

Jupiter joined him on the bed, toy in hand. It was significantly larger than the one he had been using, but instead of fear, he felt lust. Jupiter pulled his leg over his hip to open him up and slowly began to push the toy inside. Nathan was thankful he was doing the work because he truly lacked any energy. He opened for it, rather easily. The knot was going to be the tricky part.

“Who were you with?” Nathan asked, unable to stop his mouth from spilling the words. Heats meant no filters for him.

“Just another patient, pup. It was his first heat.”

Nathan felt a pang of jealousy wash through him at the same time Jupiter pushed the toy all the way in. He gasped as it stretched him a little.

“Did you-” Nathan caught himself that time before he asked if Jupiter fucked the other omega, but his mate already caught onto his words.

“No,” Jupiter said roughly. “No, I haven’t slept with any of my patients since I found out you were my mate.”

“Oh,” Nathan said softly.

“You're the only one I want that way, okay? Nobody else.”

Nathan wished it could have ended there, but there was more that needed to be said. He had been holding it in for so long and it was going to explode out of his mouth if he didn't say it soon.

“I want you to stop being a heat partner,” he whispered and cursed when Jupiter stopped moving the toy in him. Just the fact that he was being filled seemed to help.

“Nate-”

Nathan shook his head, suddenly overcome by emotion. “No, no I need you to stop being a heat partner. I can’t stand it anymore. I thought I could handle it, but I can’t. You smell like someone else right now. You just helped someone else through their heat when you’re my mate and I was alone!”

He sounded hysterical and he probably looked it too. Tears streamed down his face before he could stop them. Damn heat hormones messed everything up. He didn’t want to be so emotional.

“Pup,” Jupiter started, caressing Nathan’s tear-stained face.

“P-please,” he cried, “please just stop. You’re my mate. I want you to myself. I know it’s selfish. I know how bad that sounds, but please. You’re the only alpha I trust.”

“Hush,” Jupiter cooed gently. He brought Nathan’s head to his scent gland and let him rest there. “I’ll quit. I’ll stop, Nate. I never met for this to hurt you.”

Nathan sobbed quietly into Jupiter’s neck. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“Shh, none of that. It's okay.”

“Don’t leave,” Nathan begged, feeling panicky.

“Never, Nate. You're mine and I'm yours. Nobody else in this clinic or any other place in the world will change that.”

Nathan nodded.

“I’m going to quit, I promise. I’m yours, Nate. I’m always going to be yours.”

Nathan quietly cried into Jupiter’s chest, feeling relief and sadness and a whole bunch of other heat emotions all at once. Jupiter never stopped caressing him, never stopped whispering sweet nothings into his ear and always keeping the toy moving to bring him relief.

He wasn’t sure how many hours passed before the heat got better, but it did. The bed dipped beside him, pulling him out of an almost sleep. He rolled gently toward the movement and saw Jupiter standing. He was shirtless, which had happened somewhere in between Nathan coming for the millionth time. The bare skin was covered in dried come and made Nathan feel almost primal.

“Where are you going?” Nathan asked softly.

“Didn’t mean to wake you. I’m going to shower.”

Nathan blinked. “C-can I come?” He felt sticky and gross like he always did after his heat broke. Between the sweat, slick and come, he was a mess.

Jupiter smiled, a bright thing in the dark room. “Yeah, Nate. Come here.”

Nathan moved on sore muscles, feeling like his legs were going to turn to mush any second. Jupiter steadied him on his feet and led him to the bathroom. Being naked already made everything really simple. All he had to do was step into the warm water and lean against the wall. Jupiter joined him a few moments later, having gotten rid of his pants.

“You smell like me again,” Nathan mumbled, pressing toward Jupiter. The water felt amazing on his body, absolutely amazing.

“Mmm, good.”

“I love you, Jupiter,” Nathan said as he closed his eyes. He had planned on saying the words at a different time, maybe somewhere more special than a heat clinic shower, but he meant them. Jupiter needed to know how much he meant those words.

“I love you too, Nate. Don’t ever think for a second that I don’t.”

“Okay,” Nathan whispered, putting his face back in Jupiter's scent gland. “Okay, I'm gonna sleep now.”

Jupiter chuckled. “Not yet, pup.”

 

* * *

 

Jupiter wanted Nathan to meet his mother, Margo. His mother- the alpha, never married, had a child by insemination because fuck needing a partner, mother. Yeah, they had been together for  two years and Nathan was getting close to his eighteenth birthday which meant mates, but still. The woman’s existence intimidated Nathan. She made a perfect son, how could she not.

“She’s not going to hate you, Nate.”

Nathan was holding a box of chocolates and some cheap flowers he bought at the store in his lap as Jupiter drove them both to his mom’s in the city. He was nervous and he probably dressed up way too much, but how was he supposed to dress to meet his mate’s mom after two years of successfully avoiding a meeting. She probably thought he was some rude, attention seeking omega who wanted to keep her son all to himself.

Oh God, that was exactly what she would be thinking.

“We’ve been together for two years, Jupiter. Two years and I’ve never met her!”

“She’s been gone for most of those two years, okay? She travels a lot. If she had been here, I sure she would have loved to meet you earlier.”

“What’s she going to think about us not being mated?”

Jupiter shrugged. “She never mated anyone either. I doubt she’ll give a shit. Plus, I think she’d kill me if I bonded with an underage omega.”

Nathan rolled his eyes. “It’s not like it’s illegal.”

“Look, Nate. It’s going to be okay. She’s going to love you.”

“Are you sure she likes chocolates?”

“She gave birth to me, Nate. I think I know what she likes.”

Nathan slumped in his seat. There was no point in stressing anymore. They were already almost to the house and it wasn’t like Jupiter was about to turn around, no matter how hard Nathan begged.

Before he knew it, they were pulling into Margo’s driveway and Nathan felt all the uneasy feeling re enter his body. Jupiter was having none of that and grabbed his hand, bringing it up to his lips.

“Deep breathes.”

Nathan nodded and squeezed Jupiter’s hand before he released it. Gathering up his gifts, he exited the car and stood in front to wait for Jupiter. The alpha led him to the door and rang the doorbell while Nathan tried to stop fidgeting.

The door opened and revealed the most beautiful woman Nathan had ever seen. No wonder she had created such a beautiful child. Nathan was awestruck and narrowly didn’t hear Margo introduce herself.

“Oh, I’m Nathan, I mean Nate,” he blurted out, holding his hand out like an idiot. Margo laughed, a very similar sound to Jupiter’s.

“Sweetie, I’m not about to shake my son’s mate’s hand. Come here and give me a hug.”

Margo pulled him into a hug and her scent filled the air around him. It smelled like Jupiter, but different. It smelled like a home that Nathan never really had. Before Nathan could become attached, Margo pulled away.

“Are you sure you haven’t mated yet, Jupiter? He smells a whole lot like you,” she said with a wink.

Jupiter groaned. “Well, Mom, he does spend a lot of time with me.”

Nathan blushed, hoping Jupiter didn’t tell Margo that he spent most of his nights there because he liked Jupiter’s bed and him, way more than he liked his home. It was one thing to stay there and sleep with Jupiter every night, but Margo definitely didn’t need to know that. Although, it wasn’t like they had sex, they just did everything outside that single thing.

“I’m just giving you a hard time, love. Well, come in, please!”

Jupiter nudged Nathan inside, trailing behind him.

Margo had a beautiful home for a single person. It wasn’t overly huge, but she decorated it well. Nathan was scared to touch anything, fearing that it would break. His house never looked anywhere near this nice, not even during Christmas when his mom tried to wow his dad’s family. It never worked, those prissy little bitches.

“Nate, honey, can I get you anything to drink?”

Nathan’s attention snapped away from the shiny things and went back to Margo. She stood in the kitchen surrounded by a wonderful smell. She was cooking something that made Nathan’s mouth water uncontrollably.

“I’m good, ma’am.”

“Oh no,” Margo said suddenly, “no calling me ma’am. You can either call me Margo or Mom, okay?”

Jupiter let out a strange noise. “Mom!”

“What? It’s not like you’re not planning on marrying him, Jupiter. I just want him to feel welcome.”

Nathan smiled at their banter. “Okay, Margo.”

Margo shot him a smile and winked. “I hope you like chicken cordon bleu.”

Jupiter wrapped his arms around Nathan’s waist and pressed a kiss to his neck. “Mind if I show him around the house, Mom? We won’t be too long.”

Margo didn’t turn from the stove and waved them on. “Sure, love. Dinner’s gonna be a minute.”

Jupiter pulled Nathan away from the kitchen and began to explore the rest of the house. He showed him a couple of the rooms, one being the bedroom, the other being Margo’s office. The last room they explored was a spare bedroom. Jupiter stepped into the room and closed the door behind them.

“Why’d you close the door?” Nathan asked with a coy smile.

“I really want to kiss you.”

“Oh Jupiter, there’s no way we’re doing it in your mom’s spare bedroom. Call me old school, but I’d like my first time to be special and a tad bit longer than what we have. I didn’t survive through all of those heats without sex just to throw it away now.”

Jupiter burst into laughter. “First of all, I really just want to _kiss_ you and secondly, I plan on spending way, way more time on your body when we have sex for the first time. Trust me, it’s not going to be a quicky in a spare bedroom. I survived all of those heats with you, pup.”

“Oh,” Nathan muttered, looking down at the floor. “Well, now I feel like an idiot.”

Jupiter shook his head and pushed Nathan up against the door gently. “Kiss me and I’ll forget you said anything.”

“I guess that’s a fair trade,” he replied and leaned forward into Nathan’s space.

The kiss started off gentle, like neither of them wanted to rush it. It was soft and Nathan let Jupiter lead like always. He liked the way the alpha didn’t immediately deepen the kiss. He dragged it out, hands exploring, lips pressing. And then his tongue swiped across Nathan’s bottom lip and sought entrance. Nathan loved tasting him and breathing into each other.

Nathan was so preoccupied by Jupiter’s rovering mouth, traveling down his neck and then onto his stomach, which Jupiter had exposed by lifting his shirt just enough. He didn’t notice anything, but the hot breath on his skin and the tingle Jupiter’s mouth left behind. He ached for more, but this wasn’t the place to do it.

“Oh my God,” Nathan whispered. “Okay, okay you gotta stop.”

Jupiter’s mouth froze on his skin. “Sorry, I’m getting carried away.”

Nathan shook his head, trying to cool down. “If you keep kissing me, I’m gonna go back on what I said and beg you to take me on that bed.”

Jupiter’s eyes went wide.

“I want you to mate with me on my 18th birthday, okay? Then, you don’t feel guilty and I get a really amazing birthday present.”

“You’re okay with waiting four more months?”

“I’ve lasted this long.”

“Okay, your 18th birthday it is.”

“Can’t wait.” He really couldn’t. After their makeout session, he was really hot and horny.

They spent the next few minutes in the bathroom, freshening up and making sure they didn’t smell like they had just made out in the back bedroom. Nathan almost felt guilty for doing that in Margo’s home, but really it was Jupiter’s fault.

Margo didn’t notice the scent whenever they came back in the room or she didn’t mention it. Nathan was beyond thankful for that. He devoured the chicken cordon bleu and pasta that she served him and hardly had anytime to talk. Jupiter did most of the talking while Nathan chowed away like he had never eaten before.

It wasn’t until Jupiter excused himself after the meal that Nathan got a chance to talk with Margo. He sat nervously for a minute, hoping Jupiter came back quickly, but he knew that the alpha had left for the specific reason of getting Nathan to talk.

“You look like you’re aching to ask a question, Nate,” Margo spoke sweetly. “Ask anything you’d like.”

There were a billion questions burning in Nathan’s head. How did she make such a perfect son? What made her decide to get artificially inseminated? Had she always been so perfect? But, there was one that outweighed the rest.

“Have you ever fallen in love?” he asked quietly, a little apprehensive at first, but Margo seemed like the kind of woman that would answer anything.

Margo smiled. “Do you ask this because I’m not mated?”

Nathan shrugged and looked at his lap.

“I’ve been in love, Nate. She was an alpha too, but then she found her own mate. I wasn't about to get in the way of that. Finding your true mate is a wonderful thing and I was happy for her so I let her go.”

Nathan felt a pangs of sadness in his heart. “That's terrible.”

“That's love, Nate.”

“She just left you?”

“Would you expect Jupiter to stay with someone else after he found you? Mates will do anything for each other.”

“I know, it's just sad.”

Margo shrugged. “A lot of good things came out of it. I had a beautifully baby boy, who has been the only love in need in my life. I've learned a lot too. Love is still out there for me and maybe one day I'll find it, but right now I'm okay.”

Nathan admired her strength.

“Do you think Jupiter will ever fall out of love with me?” there was some fear in his voice that he had trouble hiding. He didn't think it would happen, but the alpha could grow tired of him eventually.

“If I know anything about my son, I know that when he falls, he falls hard.”

“S-so he's been in love?”

“Only with you, Nate. I've never seen or heard so much joy in my kid until he met you.”

Nathan blushed. “Really?”

“Mhmm. Couldn't stop talking about you.”

“He's pretty great.”

Margo smiled. “You're pretty great too, Nate.”

 

* * *

 

Truth be told, waiting until his 18th birthday was much more difficult than either man realized. Now that the idea of mating was in Nathan's head, it was all he could think about during his heats. His omega was a needy, horny little thing.

By the time that grand day rolled around, Nathan was more than ready. However, his body was being a little bitch and decided to get sick.

They were up at a cabin that Jupiter had rented for the sole purpose of their mating. It was cozy and perfect and really romantic. But throwing up wasn’t romantic or sexy. And Nathan couldn’t stop.

Their first morning in the cabin also happened to be Nathan’s 18th birthday. They had planned on mating and completing their bond that night, but once Nathan jerked away and barely made it to the toilet to throw up, he knew their plan wasn’t going to work.

“I’m sorry,” Nathan groaned as he heaved over the toilet. “God, I’ve ruined everything.”

Jupiter kneeled down next to him and rubbed soothing circles into his back. “You didn’t ruin anything, pup. It’s just a little food poisoning.”

“I knew that chicken tasted off.”

“We have the cabin all week, okay? This is going to pass in a couple of days and then we’ll be right back on schedule. Trust me, I’m going to mark you at some point during this trip.”

Nathan nodded, although he still felt guilty for ruining their plans.

“Let’s get you back into bed. I’ll run down to the market and get you some soup and we can curl up under the blankets at watch some movies.”

Nathan grinned. “Sounds perfect.”

A couple hours later, they snuggled in bed, watching a cheesy rom com while Nathan tried not to puke. He got a few bites of the soup in his stomach and managed to keep it down. Jupiter was doing his best to keep his hydrated.

“Thank you for doing this.”

Jupiter kissed his bare shoulder bone. “I know it’s not the best birthday, but we’re here together, right?”

“Yeah, that’s the best part.”

“Your birthday present still needs to be opened if you are up for it.”

Nathan’s eyes shifted to the present on the kitchen table. It had been sitting there all morning since he hadn’t gotten out of bed. His focus had been too much on not throwing up and not on the fact that it was his birthday and birthdays meant presents.

“Oh yeah,” he whispered. “Give me.”

Jupiter chuckled and moved from behind Nathan to grab the horribly wrapped present. Nathan took it with shaky hands and began to tear the wrapping off.

“Oh! A box! Just what I wanted.”

Jupiter rolled his eyes playfully.

For such a big box, there was only one small thing tapped to the bottom. Nathan’s heart thumped wildly when his eyes registered what it was. A key. Except he already had the key to Jupiter’s apartment.

“W-what’s this?” He pulled the key up, tearing it away from the tape on the bottom.

Jupiter sat in front of him, looking nervous. “It’s the, uh, key to our house.”

“Our house?” Nathan questioned after a beat.

“Ye-yeah.”

_Our house. Their house._

“You bought us a house?”

“Well, my mom did, kind of. She put a downpayment on it and said she’d help us pay for it until you graduated and could get a job. It’s really nice. It’s a little further away from Beacon Hills, but still close. I know I should have run it by you before.”

Nathan felt a tear drip down his cheek without his permission. Jupiter saw it too and his expression shifted into something that resembled regret and horror.

“Oh God, I knew I should have asked! Shit, I’m sorry. You don’t have to move in with me. I just thought because we had been talking about it and stuff? Crap, okay, don’t cry, please. It was a terrible grand romantic gesture. I need to stop trusting the internet.”

Jupiter was rambling and Nathan couldn’t get him to stop. The tears weren’t of sadness or anything negative, they were joy and excitement. The only way he could think to get Jupiter to stop speaking was to kiss him.

So that’s what he did.

Right in the middle of his sentence, Nathan leaned forward and pressed his lips to his alpha’s.  That shut him up real quick, but Nathan didn’t pull back yet. He waited until Jupiter responded to the kiss and began to move his lips. It went on for a few seconds before he pulled back.

“You’re not mad?”

“Why the hell would I be mad about that?”

“You started crying.”

“Happy tears, you dummy! Do you know how badly I’ve wanted this? To have a home with someone, a place that was more than a rundown shit hole that I’ve been stuck in. You’re giving me a house, with you!”

Jupiter looked dumbstruck. “So, you’re not mad?”

Nathan groaned. “No! I’m happy! So fucking happy!”

He rolled Jupiter onto the bed and straddled his lap to kiss him some more. His stomach immediately protested and he backed off.

“Okay, bad idea. But thank you, Jupiter. I can’t imagine a better birthday present than that.”

Jupiter grinned something devilish. “You will be the end of this week and then in our new house, on the new bed, on the new couch, on the new floor.”

Nathan flushed. “Let’s start with one place at a time, okay? Remember, still a virgin.”

“We’ve got loads of time.”

 

* * *

 

Two days later, Nathan had finally stopped puking his guts out. Jupiter had run out to grab a few more items for their dinner that night and Nathan decided it was a good time to get good and ready for him. He searched for the lube in their suitcase and dropped his pants in the middle of the room.

He had only ever fingered himself on a few occasions and it had never really went well. It was hard to get the right angle or stroke his prostate just right. That was usually Jupiter’s job, but tonight he was preparing himself so his alpha could slip right in.

Without a heat to aid the passage, his fingers felt foreign. It wasn’t like he had been overly horny before he decided to stick his finger inside, but there still should have been some slick. He couldn’t even resort to porn because there was no wifi and there was no way he was about to pay for a film. He resorted to thinking about Jupiter, thinking about what it would feel like to experience his knot for the first time. Would it feel differently from the toy? Bigger? Would his come feel warm inside of him?

Those thoughts started to get the slick running.

He arched his hips, trying to find that spot deeper inside of him. A second finger was pushed in a moment later, stretching him with a slight burn. When he was in heat, it made it so much easier to stretch himself. Right now, he couldn’t even take three fingers without crying out. Jupiter was larger than three of his fingers.

“Come on,” Nathan griped at himself. He wanted to be ready when Jupiter got back.

The door to the cabin opened and closed before Nathan could react.   
“I forgot my-” Jupiter cut himself off, eyes wide and surprised at the image before him. Nathan’s legs were up in the air, fingers in his hole like he was in heat. A yelp escaped his throat as he tore his fingers away from his body and cringed when it burned.

“Gah, go back to the store!” Nathan shouted, burying his face into the pillow next to him.

“I-I, uh, I’m sorry?” Jupiter walked closer to Nathan on the bed and rolled his body back over to where he had to look at him. “You know I could have taken care of that for you?” His fingers dipped down Nathan’s ass and paused.

“Nope!” Nathan wiggled away.

“Pup, you’re not even wet?”

“Just go back to the store, please! I’ll be ready when you get back!”

“Ready?”

“For you!”

Jupiter pulled away. “Nate.”

Nathan cringed and looked away. “I just wanted to be ready for you when you came back. We’ve been waiting for so long and I didn’t want to make you wait any longer just because I’m a virgin.”

“How many times do I have to tell you, this isn’t going to be a quicky?”

“I don’t want it to be quick,” Nathan whined. “I just wanted to make it easier. I thought that if I stretched myself, it would be better for me.”

“Hey, look at me.”

Nathan did.

“I want you to go onto your hands and knees.”

Nathan quirked an eyebrow. “Uh, why?”

“I’ll show you as soon as you turn around.”

His interest was piqued. Jupiter was never going to do something they hadn’t done before without his permission so that meant it was something they had done before. His mind immediately went to two things: rimming and fingering. He really, really hoped it was the former because Jupiter and his mouth were glorious.

He realized he was correct as soon Jupiter’s lips touched against his hole. A sharp gasp escaped his lips as Jupiter kissed him softly everywhere from his inner thigh to right on his furled hole. It felt so much better out of heat. He could focus on every feeling rather than just on getting off as soon as possible.

“I’m going to make sure you’re nice and open and then I’m going to mate you,” Jupiter said huskily. “Not a second before.”

Nathan just nodded.

Jupiter meant it when he said not a second before. He worshipped Nathan’s body for minutes, long, beautiful minutes before he pulled away. The air hit his body like a breeze and made him quiver. He felt open and ready.

“Jupiter,” he whispered as the alpha lubed himself up and positioned himself between Nathan’s legs. “Thank you for picking me.”

Jupiter kissed his forehead and pressed the tip of his cock against Nathan’s hole. “There was nothing to pick, Nate. I always wanted you, from the second I saw you, I wanted to make sure you would be mine one day.”

“I love you,” he whispered and sucked in a deep breath when Jupiter pushed in. It burned and stretched him a bit more than he was used to, but it was Jupiter.

“Love you too, pup. Just breathe.”

Nathan focused on Jupiter above him instead of the burning press he felt in his core.

“That’s it, Nate. That’s good. Open up for me.”

A shiver went through his body at the praise. He was taking Jupiter like he was always meant to. It took minutes for Jupiter to fully press inside and left the both of them sweaty and panting. He felt so full with his mate inside of him.

“You’re in me,” Nathan said in wonder.

Jupiter pressed a kiss to his sweaty brow. “Finally.”

After some adjustment and a bit more lube, Jupiter finally began to move. Every thrust sent sparks of pleasure through Nathan’s body, causing him to clench down hard and push his hips back in want.

“You feel-” he moaned, “oh, you feel so good!”

A particularly hard thrust caused Nathan to yelp and cling to Jupiter. Jupiter continued to hammer against the spot he had hit head on. Nathan’s body shook with the need to come and the more Jupiter hit that spot, the harder it became to hold off. He wanted Jupiter’s knot inside of him when he came for the first time.

“Almost there,” Jupiter groaned. “Hold your legs up for me.”

Spreading himself open like that gave him a whole new feeling of pleasure. He could feel Jupiter’s knot pressing against him, wanting entrance.

“Can you feel me, pup? That’s all for you. Let me give it to you.”

Jupiter’s hand wrapped around Nathan’s cock, giving it a few tugs. If he hadn’t already been on the verge of coming, the few pulls had set him on edge. Just a few more seconds and he was going to explode. Thankfully, Jupiter’s knot slipped in just in time.

“B-bite me,” Nathan moaned, barely holding on.

Jupiter didn’t hesitate. His teeth lengthened and pressed into Nathan’s skin. There was something euphoric that spread through his body when Jupiter broke the skin. Nathan’s mouth opened in an inarticulate scream as he came in between them. Jupiter wasn’t too far behind, a mix of biting his mate and having his knot milked sent him into an explosive orgasm. They were both lost in each other.

“Jupiter!” Nathan screamed and clenched wildly. “Thank you, thank you!”

Jupiter kissed him hungrily, still thrusting slightly.

Everything was perfect. Everything was so amplified. Everything was finally the way it should be.

Just Nathan and Jupiter.

 

* * *

 

Well, at first it was Nathan and Jupiter. And then it was Nathan, Jupiter and Juniper. Their first child, a little girl. Nathan had found out he was pregnant with her a month after his first heat with Jupiter who didn’t wear a condom. They had discussed it first, both old enough to make rational decisions on the matter. Whatever happened, happened. If Nathan got pregnant, than yay, if he didn’t, they’d keep trying.

But he was freaking fertile myrtle apparently.

He sat at lunch with Stiles one afternoon, still staying in contact with the omega who had helped shape him into who he was. He had literally spit out the water he had been drinking when Nathan dropped the news. Their waitress gave them the dirtiest look, but Stiles could care less.

“You’re pregnant?” he practically shouted. “You’re actually carrying a pup?”

Nathan grinned and nodded.

“You’ve told Jupiter, right?”

“Of course! I could hardly hold it in after I peed on the stick. It was nothing as romantic as how you told Derek. I pretty much threw the stick at him and launched myself into his arms. We’re nowhere near as cute as you two.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. Being nine months pregnant made him extremely intolerant.

“You’re going to burst any day now, huh?”

Stiles rubbed his belly. “Mhmm, little thing wants to stay in there as long as possible. Hopefully my water doesn’t break at the table. That would be a bit awkward.”

“A little bit,” Nathan said with a laugh.

“I’m really glad you’re so happy, Nate. You deserve the world.”

“You do too, Stiles.”

“Our kids are going to be best friends,” he commented with a sly smile. “Just like you and me.”

“The best of friends.”

Stiles gave birth a couple of days later and Nathan and Jupiter went to visit. It was a strange thought to think he’d be in the same position in a little under eight months. The idea of a pup, a version of both him and Jupiter, was surreal.

“Do you think I’ll have to tell her about what happened to me?” Nathan asked a few months into his pregnancy. He had been thinking a lot about that, about whether she’d find him cowardly or brave. What if she turned out to be an omega like him and people made fun of her?

“You don’t have to tell her anything, but I think when she’s old enough, it would be a good story to hear. It shaped who you became, good or bad, it’s part of you.”

Nathan looked down at the small bump. “She’s going to be perfect, I can already tell.”

Nathan went into labor in the middle of the day. They were driving to an ice cream shop because Nathan was having a craving again and the next thing he knew, he was getting contractions.They were considerably small and he almost mistook them for cramps which he had been getting lately, but this far into the game, it only meant one thing.

Jupiter rushed him to the hospital, appearing more frantic than Nathan. He acted like Nathan was going to give birth in the front seat of the car. There was no way in hell he was having a natural birth, no thank you. Those were reserved for dire situations and his was not. He opted for a c-section, quick and with a little bit of recovering time, he’d be back to normal.

Juniper came out a few hours later. A little bundle of screaming joy. They let Nathan hold her for a few minutes before she was wheeled off to get some tests done. The both of them sobbed like babies themselves when they saw her. Nathan understood the look Stiles had given Nora when he held her. They had made Juniper; she was theirs.

Taking her home was where the adventure truly began. It wasn’t just their home anymore. No, Juniper ruled that place, not that either of them cared. She was too cute. They’d let her rule the world if that was what she wanted. By the time she started walking on her own, everything became a danger. Sharp corners, outlets, cabinets. Nathan felt like he had to baby proof just about everything in their house.

But Juniper deserved the world.

Jupiter deserved the world.

Nathan deserved the world.

They were each other’s worlds and that was all they ever needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my lord... that was long. Could be why it took me a month to write it? I know it might not cover everything you wanted from Nate and Jupiter, but this is my version of their little happy ending. The one they deserved. 
> 
> Again, thanks for all the support! Here's the final part to this fic!


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